The Clean Water Act has brought progress to the Chesapeake Bay, but in order to continue the program's successful trajectory, we must protect all the waterways in Maryland. A loophole in the Clean Water Act has left more than 59 percent of streams, including many that feed into the Chesapeake Bay, vulnerable to pollution.
On Nov. 18, the 42nd anniversary of the Clean Water Act, a new report from Environment America called “Waterways Restored” highlighted how the law saved the Anacostia River, taking it from a state of horrific pollution to giving hope it might be safe for swimming and fishing in little more than a decade.
The Clean Water Act has indeed helped the Anacostia River tremendously, but its promise isn’t yet fulfilled, which is why it’s so important for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to keep standing up to the polluters and expanding the safety net to all of the rivers and streams that crisscross our state.
Fortunately the EPA proposed a rule to restore protection to all of the state’s waterways this past March. After almost eight months, the public comment period ended this past Friday, Nov. 14.
In the last few days, the submission of public comments was essential as powerful polluters are waging an acrimonious campaign against the EPA’s rule. Despite this bitter opposition, over 740,000 supportive comments were delivered to EPA officials in Washington, D.C.
We pushed back against polluters in the last few days to restore safeguards to all of the waterways that support strong local economies and make our state beautiful. I thank and am grateful to the EPA for taking the steps needed to protect all of Maryland’s waterways.
