Good Things Are Possible in 2013

By Bob Wendelgass, President & CEO Here’s what we know: Continued opposition to environmental protection by the majority of the US House means that bills to address climate change or strengthen water protections are not going to pass in 2013.  But that doesn’t mean that nothing good will happen over the next year.  In fact, there are a number of policies ready for consideration by the Obama Administration that could make 2013 a good year for our water! First up: Completing the guidance and rulemaking that will restore Clean Water Act protection to many small streams and wetlands.  Removed by the EPA under President Bush, this lack of protection endangers the drinking water for 117 million Americans.  Quick action by the EPA could right this wrong and protect the small streams that are critical for the quality of our rivers and lakes, the health of our drinking water and the strength of our recreation-based economy. Next should be continuing to clean up  coal plant pollution.  This includes limiting greenhouse gas emissions from the plants and reducing the toxic pollutants in the water these plants discharge.  Finally, it’s time for consistent national safeguards to keep toxic coal ash out of our water and away from our communities.  Right now, the requirements for disposing of your kitchen trash are more protective than those for coal ash containing arsenic and other toxic chemicals! Another place for progress is protecting our water, our air and our communities from problems caused by hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for oil and natural gas.  The US Bureau of Land Management needs to strengthen its draft rules for fracking on public lands to make sure neighbors know what chemicals are used before gas wells are fracked.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also needs to finalize guidelines for protecting underground drinking water from contamination when diesel is used And EPA should control the release of methane, a very potent greenhouse gas, in drilling and distribution of natural gas. Just this handful of actions could mean big progress for our water and for curbing climate change..  With the recent comments by the President about our obligation to address climate change, we’re hopeful that 2013 will see some real progress in protecting our water and indeed our life support systems.