Runoff from large parking lots, big box stores, and strip malls is not currently regulated by the EPA. However, these properties contribute significant runoff to nearby wetlands, streams and rivers, CLF officials said.
We spoke with Fred Tutman, Patuxent Riverkeeper, about his experiences as the nation’s only Black Waterkeeper –and the challenges and triumphs of diversifying the fight for clean water.
“The rivers and streams flowing into Great Bay are being inundated with polluted stormwater every time it rains,” said Melissa Paly, Great Bay Piscataqua Waterkeeper at CLF. “The nitrogen in this stormwater runoff is harming the waterways that make New Hampshire’s Seacoast such a special place to live and visit, and it cannot be allowed to continue. Many of our communities have made great strides in reducing pollution from wastewater, now it’s time to step up and reduce pollution in stormwater.”
A new graphic novel for kids explores how and why blue green algae break out on Vermont’s Lake Champlain.
Clean water is a fundamental human right, and we at CLF are dedicated to defending it.
With heavier rainfall events expected as a result of climate change, the groups said there’s little time to waste to protect Boston’s waterways. “These iconic rivers are suffering because of the EPA’s consistent foot-dragging,” said Heather Govern, CLF’s vice president of clean air and water.
“These iconic rivers are suffering because of the EPA’s consistent foot-dragging,” said Heather Govern, CLF’s Vice President of Clean Air and Water. “Despite all the evidence linking stormwater pollution to dirty and unsafe water, the agency has failed to take legally required steps to address this growing problem. We have waited over three years for them to regulate the pollution, and these rivers cannot wait any longer.”
Fifty years ago, Congress adopted the Clean Water Act. This landmark environmental law aimed to clean up waterways that were too polluted for people to swim in or for fish to survive. That law – and those who have enforced it, like my CLF colleagues – has led to many clean water success stories over the… Continue reading The Clean Water Act, Sewage Pollution, and Clamming in Brave Boat Harbor
CLF has pushed the EPA to hold large property owners along the Charles, Mystic, and Neponset rivers accountable for their water pollution.
“During every heavy rainfall, a toxic soup of pollutants flows into our most iconic rivers, threatening water quality, wildlife, and people,” said Heather Govern, CLF’s Vice President of Clean Air and Water. “The EPA has announced a first step to protect these rivers, but the agency must now commit to a firm date when they will issue a draft permit. The longer the permits take, the longer the damage continues.”
