Congress: Don’t Gut the Clean Water Act!

Republicans in Congress are poised to severely undermine critical water protections in the coming days.

The Clean Water Act sets requirements to keep our water clean and safe for drinking and recreation, stops industries like oil and gas extractors and factory farms from polluting with impunity, and funds local water improvement projects. This landmark bill was enacted in 1972 to protect the waters we all rely on. Now, over fifty years later, it’s under attack.

Urge your representative to oppose H.R. 3898, the PERMIT Act, a dangerous attack on our clean water protections.

Your Message

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The PERMIT Act, H.R. 3898, is one of the worst Congressional attacks we've seen yet on the Clean Water Act, and would devastate the clean water safeguards our families, communities, and local economies depend on.

The Clean Water Act stands between us and industry polluters. This critical legislation sets requirements to keep our water clean and safe for drinking and recreation, stops industries like oil and gas extractors and factory farms from polluting with impunity, and funds local water improvement projects.

Numerous provisions in H.R. 3898 would shield industrial dischargers who pollute or destroy our streams, lakes and wetlands from responsibility and accountability, thereby forcing our communities to shoulder the financial and public health burden of increased pollution and flooding. H.R. 3898 would:

-- Allow industrial polluters to discharge “forever chemicals” and other pollutants into waters without informing regulators;
-- Hamstring states’ and Tribes’ ability to prevent harm to their critical water bodies from projects such as oil and gas pipelines;
-- Give blanket authority to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to exclude any kind of water body from Clean Water Act protection in the future;
-- Restrict EPA’s authority to require polluters to adopt affordable, effective treatment technology , even if facilities are already using the technology;
-- Allow massive amounts of pesticides to be released into waterways without Clean Water Act-mandated controls designed to keep waterways safe for people and aquatic life;
-- Fast-track activities that destroy vast amounts of wetlands and streams without ensuring these harms are avoided, minimized, and mitigated;
-- Prevent the EPA from exercising its longstanding authority to stop egregious projects that endanger entire watersheds, except in very narrow circumstances.

This is only a partial list of the bill's detrimental impacts. Together, the bill’s provisions would devastate critical, longstanding protections for our clean water.

People across the political spectrum want and support stronger federal protections for our nation’s waters. Too many communities, especially Indigenous communities, rural communities, communities of color, and low-wealth communities, still lack clean water.

Instead of attempting to undermine clean water safeguards, Congress should prioritize people over polluters and work to ensure everyone has access to clean water.

I urge you to oppose H.R. 3898, a bill that would undermine the Clean Water Act’s ability to protect the waters we all rely on.

Sincerely,
{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}
{user_data~Address 1} 
{user_data~City}, {user_data~State} {user_data~Ghost Zip Code}

Sincerely,
[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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