Press Release

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Statement on Repeal of Clean Water Rule

The Ohio Environmental Council called on the U.S. EPA today to restore the Clean Water Rule to protect the health and safety of all Ohioans and families across the country.

The Administration’s action repeals the 2015 Clean Water Rule, weakening protections for clean water and leaving in place outdated and insufficient guidance. The Administration’s weak and unscientific proposed replacement for the 2015 rule is pending.

“Repealing the Clean Water Rule is reckless, harmful and defies science. It will set us back nearly half a century,” said Peter Bucher, Water Resources Director for the Ohio Environmental Council. “Clean water is essential to the health of our children, our environment, our communities and our economies. This repeal removes national consistency of what is covered under the Clean Water Act which will directly jeopardize water quality.”

“Clean water is also an economic engine for our state, creating and retaining jobs. We are calling on the U.S. EPA to immediately restore the Clean Water Rule and expand clean water protections,” Bucher said.

Some facts about the Clean Water Rule:

  • Finalized after more than 400 stakeholder meetings and more than a million public comments.
  • Safeguards drinking water sources for 1 in 3 Americans, including 1 in every 2 Ohioans.
  • 46 percent of Ohio residents get their drinking water from small stream sources relying on Clean Water Rule.
  • More than 6,978 miles of streams feeding into Ohio’s drinking water sources protected by Clean Water Rule.
  • EPA estimates Clean Water Rule provides $339 million and up to $572 million annually in benefits to public like reducing flooding, filtering pollution, protecting wildlife, support for hunting and fishing and recharging groundwater.
  • Ohio breweries that contribute about $1.26 billion to state economy and 10,700 jobs rely on Clean Water Rule.