What's At Stake?
Restore Wetlands Protections Now
- The EPA has estimated that a policy directive it issued with the Army Corps of Engineers in 2003, after the Supreme Court’s decision in 2001, could place as many as 20 million acres of the nation’s remaining wetlands at risk. As a result of this policy, a wide variety of waters have been denied Clean Water Act safeguards, including a 150-mile-long river in New Mexico, thousands of acres of wetlands in one of Florida's most important watersheds, a 69-mile long canal used as a drinking water supply in California, and an 86-acre lake in Wisconsin that is a popular fishing spot.
- Nearly 2 million miles of small streams are at risk of pollution if they are not protected by the Clean Water Act. These small streams contribute to the public drinking water supplies of over 110 million people.
- Over 14,000 industrial facilities have Clean Water Act permits that establish the conditions under which pollution may be discharged into these streams and rivers—permits that would no longer be required by the Clean Water Act if the law is not enforced to safeguard all waters.
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