Polluters don’t want to take ‘no’ for an answer, U.S. House votes against clean water

Environment America

WASHINGTON, DC – Today the U.S. House voted to block the Obama administration’s Clean Water Rule, the joint regulation issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that restores Clean Water Act protections to 2 million miles of streams and millions of acres of wetlands. The measure  passed the Senate last year, but neither chamber secured enough votes to overcome President Obama’s promised veto.

The House action comes on the heels of governors in multiple states declaring emergencies due to flooding from the Mississippi River.

John Rumpler, senior attorney for Environment America, issued the following statement:

“Just weeks after states of emergency were declared due to flooding from the Mississippi River, the House has voted to strip protections from wetlands, our best natural safeguard against floods. What’s more, the Clean Water Rule protects our streams and the drinking water for 1 in 3 Americans. Agribusinesses, coal companies, and their congressional allies don’t want to take “no pollution” for an answer. But with hundreds of thousands of Americans, local elected officials, farmers, small businesses and the president standing strongly behind this rule; ultimately, clean water will win.”