We just filed to defend federal clean water protections from industry attack
A message from Kelly Moser, Leader of SELC’s Clean Water Defense Initiative
At SELC, one of our top priorities is defending clean water protections at the local, regional, and national levels.
That’s why this past week, we moved to intervene in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky to defend the Biden administration’s rule restoring longstanding clean water protections that will ensure clearer, science-based safeguards for wetlands, streams, and other critical waterways under the Clean Water Act.
We must uphold these crucial protections which industry groups and some states are seeking to undo. These actions by polluting industries would deprive communities, families, hunters, anglers, outdoor enthusiasts, and wildlife throughout the South and nationwide of clear, strong federal protections that keep our waters healthy and clean.
While we are working on securing federal progress for clean water, we continue to monitor the U.S. Supreme Court in anticipation of an impending decision in Sackett v EPA, a case that challenges the reach of the Clean Water Act.
Last summer, SELC filed a brief on behalf of more than 110 environmental and community organizations with the Supreme Court in support of upholding the broad scope of the Clean Water Act. This bedrock law was enacted with strong bipartisan support to protect families and communities across the country by preventing unchecked industrial pollution from contaminating our waterways and drinking water sources more than 50 years ago.
There is nothing more fundamental to our work than protecting the air we breathe and the water we drink, and we remain committed to challenging any efforts to strip away critical environmental protections on behalf of our partners and communities across the South.
We appreciate you supporting SELC and standing alongside us to protect clean water in the South. The role you continue to play in speaking out on these issues is vital to a healthy environment and keeping our Southern waters safe. We will keep you apprised of future developments and other opportunities to make your voice heard as a champion for clean water.
Kelly Moser
Senior Attorney and Leader of SELC’s Clean Water Defense Initiative