On Monday, the Trump Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released proposed changes to the Clean Water Act’s definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS).
WOTUS describes the waters that are protected by the Clean Water Act. The definition has historically included seasonal and intermittent streams, creeks, and wetlands that are integral to the law’s promise of ensuring swimmable, fishable, and drinkable water throughout the country. Unsurprisingly, the administration’s proposal is an attempt to make the Clean Water Act less science driven for the benefit of industry and development.
In response, Baykeeper issued the following statements:
Baykeeper managing attorney, Eric Buescher: “The Trump Administration is attempting to turn the Clean Water Act into a law designed to protect industry. Its new WOTUS definition is untethered from the science of how water bodies, like tributaries and wetlands, function in the real world and the many benefits they provide to San Francisco Bay and throughout the country. The EPA’s proposed changes would eliminate or reduce protections for many wetlands and tributaries throughout the U.S.”
Baykeeper senior staff scientist, Ian Wren: “This proposed rule could strip protections from the vast majority of wetlands in California, which are necessary to protect Bay Area communities from rising seas. The Bay’s shoreline is already fragmented by levees and development—now much of the wetlands that connect to and sustain the Bay ecosystem could lose federal protection. These wetlands are vital for filtering pollutants, supporting fisheries, and maintaining the water quality our communities depend on. We can’t protect the Bay’s ecosystem and clean water if the law no longer recognizes the wetlands that make it possible.”