NRCM news release
September 12, 2019 (Augusta, ME) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today it has finalized its aggressive rollback of some of the nation’s most effective clean water protections.
For more than 46 years, the Clean Water Act has proved effective at making rivers, lakes, and streams safer for swimming, fishing, and drinking. The Trump Administration’s repeal of the “Clean Water Rule” strips safeguards from streams and wetlands across the country, and puts at risk about half of Maine’s drinking water supplies that are fed by small streams that were previously protected.
In response to today’s clean water rollbacks, the Natural Resources Council of Maine issued the following statement from Federal Director Emmie Theberge:
“The Trump Administration’s radical repeal of the Clean Water Rule ends the common-sense, science-based protections for the streams our kids swim in, play in, and fish from. In a state like Maine, this rollback could threaten our drinking water, jeopardize local businesses, hurt tourism, and put communities at risk for increased flooding during storm events. It’s an unacceptable gift to polluters at the expense of our health and safety.”
Additional background:
- Read our previous statement on the clean water rollback.
- View our fact sheet (PDF)
