John Rumpler
Clean Water Director and Senior Attorney, Environment America
Statement: EPA continues environmental rollbacks during COVID-19 pandemic
Media Contacts
John Rumpler
Clean Water Director and Senior Attorney, Environment America
New rule makes it harder for states, tribes to protect clean water
Environment America
WASHINGTON — The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) weakened states’ legal authority to protect their waterways from pipelines and other polluting projects in a rulemaking announced Monday. Specifically, the new rule targets Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
Environment America Clean Water Program Director John Rumpler issued the following statement in support of the Clean Water for All Act:
“Whether it’s constructing oil and gas pipelines, dams or coal export terminals, or mining on federal land — all of these projects require federal permits and also pose a pollution threat to our waterways. Using Section 401, states have been able to protect clean water from such projects, either by demanding safeguards or refusing to certify the federal permit altogether.”
“EPA’s new rule is the latest example of the Trump administration’s ongoing rollbacks of key environmental protections, further putting public health at risk even during the COVID-19 pandemic. We urge the EPA to halt this reckless pattern and return to protecting our air and water.
