EPA seeks to scrap rule protecting drinking water for third of Americans

[CousinIT]

The Environmental Protection Agency is poised to dismantle the federal clean water rule, which protects waterways that provide drinking water for about a third of the US population.

The EPA, with the US army, has proposed scrapping the rule in order to conduct a “substantive re-evaluation” of which rivers, streams, wetlands and other bodies of water should be protected by the federal government.

“We are taking significant action to return power to the states and provide regulatory certainty to our nation’s farmers and businesses,” said Scott Pruitt, administrator of the EPA.

Pruitt said the EPA would swiftly redefine clean water regulations in a “thoughtful, transparent and collaborative” way with other agencies and the public.

Green groups, however, said the move pandered to fossil fuel and farming interests and was part of an agenda to weaken clean water protections.

“Once again, the Trump administration has agreed to do the bidding of the worst polluters in our country, and once again it’s putting the health of American families and communities at risk,” said Michael Brune, executive director of Sierra Club. “We will fight this and every other attempt by polluters and the Trump administration to destroy our water resources.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/27/epa-clean-water-rule-drinking?CMP=share_btn_tw

[procon]

1. Stupid, shortsighted moron.

What does he think will happen when every state has a different policy? When one state pollutes their waters the toxins don't stop at the stateline. Every state that water goes to, every aquifer, farm, field, city, business and home in the adjoining states is going to be impacted. The beautiful national parks belong to every citizen in this country, not just the state where they are located. Greedy Republican politicians are ready to sell of the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, ruining our national treasures with oil rigs, clear cutting the forests, and mountaintop removal mining.

[Nay]

8. These psychopaths know exactly what they are doing -- wrecking everything so they

can grab their power and loot as society falls apart. Don't ever think they are just 'shortsighted' or 'ignorant.' If they engineer it so states, rather than the federal govt., are in charge, then they can easily manipulate/capture/bribe on a local level to get whatever they damn well please.

[Control-Z]

2. I wonder how they plan to do their re-evaluation.

Do the "Flint" test. Find out who gets sick from their water and red flag it?

[lpbk2713]

3. They need to take the P out of EPA.

They're not protecting anyone any more.

[Matthew28]

4. The republican party wishes to turn America into a third world country.

[CousinIT]

5. Kick. More unsuspecting Americans need to see this. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Because it's very expensive to bribe the whole federal government, when states can be bought

just for the specific project you're involved in, one or two at a time.

Who can doubt the "regulatory certainty" of states like Michigan, for example? They certainly left their mark on Flint's water.

[Stellar]

7. They want to give power back to the states?

I can see it now...every state would have their own special rules, meaning we will all wound up being a Flint Michigan disaster with our water ways intermingling.