Responding to the Threat on Our Water

In 1969, a fire on Ohio’s heavily polluted Cuyahoga River shocked the American public into taking action. Out of that movement, several federal laws, including the Clean Water Act of 1977, were established to safeguard U.S. waterways from industrial pollution.

Now, a mere 30 years later, members of Congress are attempting to undermine the very foundation of the Clean Water Act. Conservative representatives are working to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from establishing safety guidelines designed to protect the American people from special interests who pollute our water and health for profit.

In September, conservatives kicked off this round of clean water attacks with HR 2041, the Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation (TRAIN) Act. The TRAIN Act would delay vital protections like the utility mercury standard (still under EPA consideration at press time), and the recently finalized Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. And this was just the first in a series of bills and riders designed to protect industry interests.

“People are shocked to know that Congress is working to dismantle the basic clean water laws that protect our way of life,” says Sandra Diaz, coordinator of Appalachian Voices’ new Red, White and Water Campaign. “It took a movement in the 1970s to create the Clean Water Act. Now it’s going to take a movement to save it.”

Appalachian Voices’ Red, White and Water campaign will spread awareness of impending clean water threats and grow the movement to protect this basic resource. Read the latest about the ongoing struggle to safeguard our waterways and stand up for clean water by signing the petition at AppVoices.org/Red-White-and-Water.