By Jennifer Peters, National Water Coordinator
I know people don’t want to drink dirty water or swim in polluted rivers, so it comes as no surprise to me that a recent public opinion
poll found that a majority of Americans support strong protections for clean water. Clean Water Action, along with several other environmental and sportsmen’s organizations
commissioned this poll to gauge likely voters’ views on clean water protections in two key political “swing” states, Ohio and Colorado.
In both states a majority of poll respondents, regardless of political affiliation, favor the Obama administration’s
proposal to restore clean water protections to streams and wetlands. Nearly all Democrats favor the proposal along with an overwhelming majority of Republican and Independent voters. When asked how they would feel if their Member of Congress were to support this proposal, a majority of likely voters in both states said they would feel
more favorable toward his or her Member. These likely voters’ sentiments echo that of respondents in another
opinion poll that overwhelming stated that they were
much less likely to re-elect politicians that voted to roll back Clean Water Act protections.
While it is clear that Americans want their elected officials to support policies that keep pollution out of our water, American voters are generally not aware of how their Members of Congress vote on such policies. Since last year, Congress has
voted over 200 times to rollback environment and public health protections; 28 of those votes were specifically to weaken the Clean Water Act.
Curious about how your Member of Congress and Senators have voted on clean water and other important environmental issues? Check out
League of Conservation Voter’s Environmental Scorecard. And don’t forget to tell President Obama that you want him to keep 40 years of clean water progress moving forward – you can take action
HERE.
