Press Release

Washington, DC – The small streams and wetlands that provide drinking water for millions of Americans will remain protected, thanks to draft guidance released today by the Environmental Protection Agency. This guidance reaffirms the intent of the Clean Water Act to protect these critical waters after the uncertainty created by two Supreme Court decisions. American Rivers and its partners have worked for over a decade to uphold Clean Water Act safeguards which are vital to public health and safety.

The EPA will accept public comments and will finalize the guidance in the coming months. According to the EPA, over 117 million Americans rely in whole or in part upon public water systems fed by small streams – the same streams that have been vulnerable to pollution and destruction following the confusing court decisions, unnecessarily narrow guidance, and pressure from polluters.

Andrew Fahlund, senior vice president for conservation at American Rivers, made the following statement:

“Today the administration took an important step toward protecting the clean drinking water for millions of Americans. Reaffirming Clean Water Act safeguards for streams and wetlands means our families and communities will enjoy safer drinking water, reduced flood damage, and healthier rivers for fishing and recreation.”

“Every child in America deserves access to a clean, healthy stream.”

“When Congress passed the Clean Water Act almost 40 years ago, it protected all of the nation’s waters, from big rivers to small streams to wetlands. All of these waters are essential to the health of our environment and communities, just as veins and arteries and tiny capillaries are essential to the health of our bodies.”

“The court decisions essentially created loopholes for polluters, allowing anyone to destroy or dump pollution in many of our small streams. By issuing the new guidance, the EPA is reaffirming its commitment to clean water and public health. It creates a scientifically sound process to determine which waters are protected consistent with the law.”

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American Rivers is the leading organization working to protect and restore the nation’s rivers and streams. Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Since 1973, American Rivers has fought to preserve these connections, helping protect and restore more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and the annual release of America’s Most Endangered Rivers®.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 100,000 supporters, members, and volunteers nationwide. Visit www.americanrivers.org, www.facebook.com/americanrivers and www.twitter.com/americanrivers.