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Keep God’s Waters Clean: Protect the Clean Water Act

Pure water is essential for all life on Earth. However, an estimated 20 million acres of our nation’s waterways including many wetlands, streams, and ponds currently protected under the Clean Water Act are now in danger of being removed from the Act’s jurisdiction and protection. In January, the Administration issued guidelines that would dramatically reduce the scope of the Clean Water Act, representing a serious setback for the nation’s waterways. Acting in response to a 2001 Supreme Court ruling on "isolated" wetlands (Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. US Army Corps of Engineers), the Environmental Protection Agency announced a plan to proceed with a rulemaking and an accompanying guidance for field staff that would redefine the "waters of the United States" and remove tens of millions of acres of wetlands and other waterways from Clean Water Act protection. Waters excluded from Clean Water Act protection would be subject to pollution dumping, dredging, and filling. The Administration is currently soliciting comments on this proposal in order to inform and influence their rulemaking process in the coming months.

The guidance, which went into effect immediately, removes Clean Water Act protections from many non-navigable, intrastate and so-called "isolated" waters, protected up until now as "waters of the United States." The rulemaking threatens to exclude even more of the nation’s waters from Clean Water Act protection by inviting comment on additional jurisdictional changes that should be considered.

The Bush administration claims that its position reflects the January 2001 Supreme Court decision on wetlands in Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. Army Corps of Engineers (SWANCC). The ruling, however, simply narrowed the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers by taking away its authority over certain isolated water bodies used by migratory birds. It did not provide for the complete elimination of protections for isolated wetlands or tributary systems. Neither that Supreme Court ruling nor the subsequent majority of lower court rulings on this issue have suggested that any such weakening of Clean Water Act authority is warranted. In fact, the Department of Justice has consistently argued to the contrary, that the current broad definition of "waters of the United States" is not only legal and reasonable, but also essential to achieving the goals of the Act.

A narrow definition of waters would ignore the ecological importance of these non-navigable areas and deny the interconnectedness of God’s creation. Wetlands can be defined as "isolated" if they lack a direct surface connection to other bodies of water. Few, if any, wetlands are actually isolated. Almost all headwater streams and wetlands, even those wetlands that appear to be "isolated," are connected to other waters. They serve as integral parts of watersheds, performing essential functions affecting the health of water systems, including pollutant removal, absorption and slowing of floodwaters, and critical habitat for aquatic life and a myriad of wildlife species. There is abundant scientific evidence that pollution dumped into the upper reaches of watersheds ends up harming lakes and rivers downstream.

At a time when so many waters remain impaired, Clean Water Act jurisdiction and enforcement should be strengthened rather than weakened. Water is a sacred gift from God, and we, as stewards of creation must preserve and protect this precious gift.

Actions
Protect God’s Waters by taking action now!

National Action

• Write the Administration and Congress asking them to protect all waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act by:
  • Rescinding the guidance issued by the Environmental Protection Agency and stopping the proposed rulemaking that would limit the scope of the Clean Water Act.
  • Supporting the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act of 2003. This bill will ensure federal protection is maintained for all U.S. waters. Click here to view the text of the legislation. (Relevant bill numbers: H.R. 962 and S. 473)
  • Click here to write the Bush Administration and Congress.
• Send an official comment on the guidance and rulemaking to the Environmental Protection Agency. Send your comments by e-mail to CWAwaters@epa.gov, Attention Docket ID No. OW-2002-0050. The deadline is April 16, 2003. Click here for the documents.

Local Action

• Educate local and regional reporters about the proposed change, which could undo years of progress in cleaning up our nation’s waters. Identify local waterways and wetlands that are threatened under this new rulemaking and guidance. Click here for a sample letter to the editor.

Personal Action
The largest source of pollution into waterways is polluted runoff from contaminated storm water and snowmelt from urban and agricultural fields. Help clean up waterways by taking the following actions.

• Practice water conservation by installing water saving devices such as efficient showerheads and low flow faucet aerators.
  • By installing these water saving devices, each household can save 7,800 gallons of water and prevent the release of 460 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. For more information click here.
• Eliminate pesticides and use natural fertilizers and plants on your home and church landscape.
  • Americans apply 70 million pounds of pesticides to home lawns and gardens each year, polluting our precious water resources. If only 1,000 of us stop using pesticides in our gardens and lawns, we’ll protect creation from 950 pounds of toxins each year. For more information on eliminating pesticides click here. <www.beyondpesticides.org>
• Decrease impact of runoff at home or at church by installing rain barrels, rain gardens or decreasing the amount of impervious surface cover (areas such as parking lots and sidewalks that resist water penetration).
  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that up to 70 percent of water pollution comes from storm water, only half of which comes from industrial polluters. Additional sources of water pollution come from runoff from individuals and homeowners as a result of chemicals used in household and yard care activities. Installing rain barrels, rain gardens or reducing the amount of surface runoff from impervious surfaces can help reduce water pollution. For more information on rain gardens see below.

Rain Gardens

Links

Raingardens.org
Building Your Own Rain Garden
Do it Yourself Rain Barrel
Storm Water Management Fact Sheet
Storm Water Management Resources

Letter Page

Please contact the President and your Representatives and Senators to express your views about the Administration’s proposed rulemaking on the Clean Water Act.

Write Your Representative and Senators
Click here to find out how to contact your Senators.
Click here to find out how to contact your Representative.

Sample Letter
Dear ____________,
I am deeply concerned that our nation’s streams, wetlands, and other waterways are not receiving the protection that these precious waterways deserve. The EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proposing to remove certain waterways—20 percent by their own calculations—from the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act.

Water is considered a sacred, treasured part of God’s creation. In fact, in Christian tradition, water is an integral part of the Baptismal sacrament, the initiation rite that symbolizes renewal and the cleansing of faith.

As a person of faith, I believe that water is a sacred gift from God and that we, as stewards of creation, must preserve and protect this gift—not just because of its usefulness to human beings, but because of its inherent, God-given value. Clean water is a basic right and necessity for all life. The waters this rulemaking would put at risk are integral to the web of creation and we, as stewards of creation, have a responsibility to protect them.

October 2002 marked the 30th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, one of our nation’s most successful environmental laws, which is responsible for cleaning up 5 percent of our nation’s lakes, rivers and coastal waters. Dismantling, limiting, and weakening this landmark legislation shows serious disregard for our mandate for stewardship of all creation.

I urge you to call upon President Bush and the rest of the Administration to reverse the EPA’s proposed rulemaking that would limit the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act and weaken protection of our precious waterways. I also ask you to help get the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act of 2003 passed so that federal protection will be maintained for all waters of the United States.

I ask that you refocus EPA’s efforts to dismantle the Clean Water Act so that protecting human health and providing a livable world for humans and all of God’s creations is a top priority. I hope that you will help support the protection of this nation’s valuable waterways for ourselves and future generations.

Respectfully,
Your name

Editorial Letter Page

Sample Letter to the Editor
To the Editor,
The waters of the United States—waters of God’s creation—are in jeopardy. October 2002 marked the 30th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, one of our nation’s most successful environmental laws, which is responsible for helping cleaning up our nation’s lakes, rivers and coastal waters. The EPA and the Bush Administration are now trying to dismantle and weaken this landmark legislation by proposing to limit the kinds of waters protected under the Act. According to the EPA, as much as 20 percent of the waterways now protected would be excluded from Federal protection under this new rulemaking.

As a person of faith, I believe that water is a sacred gift from God and that we, as stewards of creation, must preserve and protect this gift—not just because of its usefulness to human beings, but because of its inherent, God-given value. Clean water is a basic right and necessity for all life. The waters this proposed rulemaking would put at risk, which includes many wetlands, are integral to the web of creation and we, as stewards of creation, have a responsibility to protect them.

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“Let anyone who wishes, take the water of life as a gift.”
— Revelation 22:17

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