League Presses White House To Issue Clean Water Protections (1/14/13)
IWLA Executive Director Scott Kovarovics
I met Friday afternoon with senior staff from the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and pressed the administration – yet again – to issue policy that begins restoring Clean Water Act protections for small streams and wetlands across the country.
For more than two years,
the League has been building and maintaining
support for this policy – for science-based,
balanced, common-sense policy that will help
put the Clean Water Act back together again.
Hunting, angling, conservation, and
environmental groups have been working together
on this issue because habitat for fish and
wildlife, high-quality hunting and fishing, and
drinking water for 117 million Americans are at
risk.
I wish I could report that CEQ staff said “the policy will be issued next week.” I really didn’t expect to hear that, but hope springs eternal. Staff listened while I joined others in doing most of the talking. But they heard us – they known how important this is to Americans who hunt, fish, and enjoy the outdoors. They acknowledged how hard our members have worked to support the policy as it has been developed. And they made clear that addressing water issues is as important as addressing clean air issues. This administration has demonstrated genuine leadership across a range of air quality issues, including reducing mercury pollution that contaminates our waters and fish. Now it’s time to step up to better protect our streams, lakes, and wetlands.
The League made our case, as did our friends from other hunting, angling, and environmental groups. The fact is, the administration knows the ball is squarely in its court. The policy is ready to go and the only thing holding it up is the green light from the White House. The League is committed to keeping the pressure on the White House to act – and act soon. If you haven’t signed our petition to the White House urging action on this issue, please take a minute to do that now. Thousands of Americans have done this already. Add your name and help us keep the pressure on.