There’s been plenty of negative reaction from conservation groups was swift to a Trump Administration proposal to remove federal clean-water protections from many smaller streams and wetlands. On Tuesday, the EPA announced a replacement for the Waters of the United States Rule. It would lift federal protections from water sources that are seasonal, and wetlands that are not connected by a stream to a larger body of water. Jenifer Collins with the law firm Earthjustice tells us the proposal ignores basic hydrology.
“All water is connected. So, whether it’s a small stream that only runs part of the year, or a wetland that isn’t directly connected to a larger body of water, they feed into the larger bodies of water that are the drinking-water sources for millions of people across the country.”
Acting EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler called the original, Obama-era rule “government overreach.” He said the new rule gives power back to states, reducing red tape for farmers and other landowners.
