Obama, Don't Forget Our Water

By Jennifer Peters, National Water Campaigns Coordinator President Obama has made addressing climate change a top priority for his second term.   To some in the environmental community his commitment may seem long overdue, but it really is a big deal.  No other American President has ever made an environmental issue a top administrative priority. I’m glad the Administration is finally taking a strong stance on climate change, but I am frustrated that other important environmental initiatives remain stalled in the White House.  Take the final policy that would restore protections to small streams and wetlands - water resources that will become even more precious in a changing climate.  This final guidance document has been languishing in the White House a full year awaiting approval. It’s time for the White House to finalize this vital guidance. This new policy is needed because, for over a decade, the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to keep our water free from pollution and destruction has been undermined.  Historically EPA asserted board jurisdiction over water in the United States, including small headwater streams and geographically isolated wetlands. Protecting all water equally is just common sense - streams and wetlands feed into larger river systems and the health of those small streams and wetlands directly contribute to the water quality of all rivers. Unfortunately in 2001 and again in 2006, ambiguous Supreme Court decisions undermined the strength and effectivness of the Clean Water Act, our nation’s most important water law.  Following these controversial court decisions, the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers issued joint polices that added further confusion about the scope of Clean Water Act protections.  The final policy document that has been stuck at the White House this past year would clarify what water is covered under the Clean Water Act. For the past two years, Clean Water Action and our national partner organizations have fought tirelessly to defend the Administration’s efforts to restore Clean Water Act protections to streams and wetlands.  A polluter-friendly House of Representatives voted dozens of times last Congress to block the Administration’s actions, but we were successful at defeating similar votes in the Senate. The election is over and it’s time for the Administration to finish the business it started two years ago. If we are to successfully weather the worst impacts of climate change, we must prioritize protecting our most vital water resources.  Wetlands provide flood protection during “super storms” and headwater streams feed into the drinking water supplies of more than 117 million people.  Tell the White House to release the Clean Water Act guidance and put our country back on track toward being more resilient in a changing climate.  Take action today!