More than 37% percent of industrial and municipal
facilities across Maryland discharged more pollution
into our waterways than their Clean Water Act permits allow in 2005, according
to Troubled Waters: An analysis of Clean
Water Act compliance, a new report released today by Environment Maryland.
“As the Clean Water Act turns 35, polluters
continue to foul our rivers, lakes and streams,” said Josh Bell, policy
associate at Environment Maryland. “With
so many facilities dumping so much pollution, no one should be surprised that
nearly half of America’s
waterways are unsafe for swimming and fishing.
But we should be outraged.”
The goals of the 1972 Clean Water Act are to
eliminate the discharge of pollutants into waterways and make all U.S.
waterways swimmable and fishable. Over
the last three and a half decades, this landmark environmental law has made
significant improvements in water quality, but the original goals have yet to
be met.
Using the Freedom of Information Act, Environment
Maryland obtained data on facilities’ compliance with the Clean Water Act
between January 1, 2005
and December 31, 2005. Environment Maryland
researchers found that:
Fifty
seven percent of all major U.S. industrial
and municipal facilities discharged more pollution into U.S.
waterways than allowed by law at least once during 2005. The average facility
exceeded its pollution permit limit by 263 percent, discharging close to four
times the legal limit.
• 37.1 percent of Maryland’s
industrial and municipal facilities exceeded their Clean Water Act permits at
least once in 2005.
• 36 facilities in Maryland
reported more than 150 exceedances of their Clean Water Act permits in 2005.
• On average, Maryland
facilities exceeding their Clean Water Act permits did so by 84.1%.
“Facilities in Maryland
and across the country continue to dump more pollution into our waterways than
is allowed by law,” said Bell
Bell noted that the findings
are likely just the tip of the polluted iceberg, since the data that
Environment Maryland analyzed includes only “major” facilities and does not
include pollution discharged into waters by the thousands of minor facilities
across the country.
Over the last six years, the Bush administration
has proposed or enacted numerous policies that weaken the Clean Water Act. These include: two separate policies that
eliminate Clean Water Act protections for streams and wetlands that feed and
clean treasured lakes, rivers and bays; funding cuts to EPA’s budget, including
significant cuts to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; and policies that
allow more sewage pollution into waterways.
Environment Maryland
called on the Bush administration to end its efforts to weaken federal clean
water safeguards and for Congress to pass the Clean Water Restoration Act,
legislation to ensure all U.S.
waterways are protected by the Clean Water Act.
Bell
was joined by Kathy Phillips, of Assateague Coastal Trust, who is the
Assateague Coastkeeper
and a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance. Speaking on behalf of the Atlantic coastal
bays watershed she commented, “The Clean Water Restoration Act goes a long way
to rectify many of these issues. It is
important that the Restoration Act, as written, be supported and passed so that
our wetlands, small streams, creeks, and any body of water regardless of whether
it is navigable or not, are protected under the law.”
Environment Maryland
urged Representative Wayne Gilchrest to mark the anniversary of the Clean Water
Act by joining the 172 cosponsors of the Clean Water Restoration Act.
“Instead
of holding polluters accountable, the Bush administration is allowing more—not
less-- pollution to enter our waterways.
Now more than ever, Congress should step in to protect all of America’s
waters,” concluded Bell.
