Between January 2002 and June 2003, more than 3,700 facilities across the U.S. violated their Clean Water Act permits for discharging pollutants into the nation's waters, according to a new study from U.S. Public Interest Research Group (USPIRG). Some facilities exceeded their permits repeatedly, and for multiple pollutants. Meanwhile, the Bush Administration has weakened both protections and enforcement under the Act, putting public health at risk.
The report, "Troubled Waters: An analysis of Clean Water Act compliance, January 2002-June 2003," details extensive violations of the 1972 Clean Water Act (CWA). USPIRG notes that in the 18-month period covered in the report,
-35 facilities exceeded their permits during every reporting period.
-436 major facilities exceeded their CWA permit limits for at least 10 of 18 reporting periods.
-There were more than 32,000 total violations of CWA permits.
-On average, facilities that exceeded their permits had violations in excess of six times the amount of allowed pollution discharge.
Meanwhile the Bush Administration has persistently worked to weaken protections for America's waterways, resisted clean-up of dirty waters, and undercut enforcement of the CWA.
-In January 2003, the Bush Administration announced an intended rule change that would exclude numerous waterways from protection under the Act, including 20 million acres of wetlands, comprising 20% of all wetlands in the contiguous 48 states. Simultaneously the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers instructed staff to stop enforcing the CWA in "isolated" waterways such as small streams and non-navigable ponds. Responding to an angry outcry from the environmental community, EPA announced in December, 2003 that it would not go forward with the rule change. However, agency staff must now apply for "formal project-specific approval" to protect these waters. Formerly, mining companies, developers, and other polluters had to apply for exemptions under the CWA.
-Last November the Bush Administration issued a draft of revised guidelines for sewage treatment by publicly owned facilities. The changes would allow these plants to divert filtered sewage from secondary, biological treatments and mix it with fully treated wastewater before discharge. The risks to public health from this relaxed guideline could include increased outbreaks of pfisteria, giardia, and hepatitis A.
-The Bush Administration's proposed EPA funding for fiscal year 2005 slashes over $600 million from the agency's budget, reducing the agency's ability to monitor and enforce federal clean water laws. The proposed budget also reduces by 37% funds made available to states for improvement of wastewater treatment facilities.
"At a time when our leaders should be working with the states to address this illegal pollution and make all of our waterways fishable and swimmable, the Bush Administration suggested, proposed, or enacted numerous policies that would weaken the Clean Water Act and threaten the future of America's rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans," writes USPIRG's Alison Cassady.[1]
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TAKE ACTION
Email your U.S. Representative and ask them to protectect U.S. waters from polluters by supporting the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act.
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SOURCES:
[1] "Troubled Waters: An analysis of Clean Water Act compliance, January 2002-June 2003," USPIRG report, Mar. 30, 2004.
