A new threat to Pennsylvania’s waters
Over
the last 35 years, we have made significant strides to clean up
Pennsylvania’s rivers. But today, many of our most majestic
waterways—from the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, to the Susquehanna,
Ohio and Allegheny—
still suffer from industrial pollution and run-off contamination from
overdevelopment.
But instead of continuing to improve water protections, the Bush administration has implemented policies that eliminate basic Clean Water Act protections for many of our most pristine waterways—in Pennsylvania and nationwide. This has already led to more pollution going into the small streams and nearby wetlands that nourish our state’s great rivers.
We need Pennsylvania’s elected officials in Washington, D.C., to act now to ensure that all of our rivers and streams are protected—for the present and for future generations.
A new policy: pollution, development, destruction
The
small streams that crisscross Pennsylvania are among the treasures of
our state’s natural heritage. These streams are also the lifeblood of
our magnificent rivers, feeding and cleaning them by supplying water,
filtering out pollutants, slowing floodwaters and providing
habitat for fish and other wildlife.
Removing protections for wetlands and streams
In 2003, the Bush administration established a policy that
removes Clean Water Act protections from many small streams, wetlands
and ponds, to give developers and polluting industries greater access
to these natural areas.
As a result of this polluter-friendly policy, thousands of miles of streams and millions of acres of wetlands are at risk from overdevelopment, pollution and even destruction. Developers and polluters are already moving to take advantage of this policy along dozens of Pennsylvania waterways, including streambed along Turtle Creek in Allegheny County, and along Stony Run, a tributary of the Schuylkill River.
A new chance to protect our state’s waterways
Improving
and maintaining the water quality of Pennsylvania’s great rivers
depends on the health of the smaller streams and wetlands that are the
source waters for these majestic waterways.
Crucial sources of drinking water, vital homes for wildlife and the foundation of a vibrant recreation industry, our state’s waterways should be fully protected for our future.
Our senators can help protect our waters
Legislation has been introduced to close the pro-polluter loophole that
threatens our rivers, streams, ponds and wetlands. With their
leadership,Pennsylvania’s Sens. Specter and Santorum have an
opportunity right now to champion our waterways—here in Pennsylvania
and across the nation.
Protecting all of our waters
We
need to restore the health and integrity of our rivers and streams—not
just in Pennsylvania but across the country. Our elected officials must
take action now to ensure that all of the state’s waterways continue to
be protected by the Clean Water Act.
PennEnvironment is calling on Pennsylvania’s senators to champion Senate Bill 912, the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act. Our senators should lead the charge to:
• Call on the Bush administration to immediately drop the pro-polluter policy;
• Fully enforce clean water laws; and
• Reaffirm the original intent of the Clean Water Act to protect all waters in Pennsylvania and throughout the U.S.