U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Scott Pruitt proposed repealing the Clean Water Rule, which restored federal protections to half our nation’s streams and thousands of wetlands across the country. Jennifer Rubiello, Environment Florida State Director issued the following statement:
Repealing the Clean Water Rule turns the mission of the EPA on its head: instead of safeguarding our drinking water, the Trump administration is proposing to stop protecting drinking water sources for nearly 2 million Floridians. It defies common sense, sound science and the will of the people of Florida.
Clean water is vital to our ecology, our health, and our quality of life. We are already seeing drinking water contaminated by algal blooms and a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico that scientists now estimate will be the size of New Jersey this summer. Just last year, Florida regulators also voted to increase the acceptable level of cancer-causing chemicals allowed in Florida’s rivers and streams. The last thing we need is the federal government weakening protections for our water as well.
Finalized in 2015 with widespread public and scientific support, the Rule restored federal protections to over 15,000 miles of Florida’s streams, which feed waterways like Tampa Bay and help provide drinking water to nearly 2 million Floridians. The rule also protects wetlands, which help filter out pollutants and provide wildlife habitat.
More than 800,000 Americans – including over 31,000 Floridians, business owners, local officials, farmers, and health professionals – all support the historic Clean Water Rule. On the other side, the most vociferous opponents of the rule include the oil and gas industry, coal companies, developers, and lobbyists for corporate agribusiness.
We call on the EPA to reconsider this reckless repeal and stand up for our drinking water, not for polluters.
EPA
Commissioner Adam Putnam Applauds EPA Administrator for Move to Repeal WOTUS Final Rule
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam issued the following statement regarding EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s proposal to repeal the Obama-era WOTUS final rule.
“The federal government overstepped its authority under the Obama Administration with its overreaching and nonsensical WOTUS rule. I applaud EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s move to undo these overly burdensome regulations that cost American workers precious dollars to meet unnecessary and unscientific standards.”
Scott Pruitt won’t protect Florida’s air, water or families
The Senate voted today to approve President Trump’s nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency.
Environment Florida’s State Director, Jennifer Rubiello, issued the following statement in response:
“This country needs an Environmental Protection Agency Administrator whose top priority is protecting our air and water and our families’ health. We need somebody willing to enforce and defend our bedrock environmental laws and a leader guided by science when creating and implementing policy.
“It’s clear that Scott Pruitt won’t protect Florida’s air, water or families and we are extremely disappointed that he will now be the next EPA administrator. As attorney general, he put dirty energy interests and other polluters ahead of protecting public health. Instead of taking steps to reduce pollution, he sued to stop the agency he will now lead from enforcing critical clean air and water protections.
“In fact, as attorney general, Scott Pruitt joined with polluters to file 14 lawsuits against the very agency he will now run. These suits aimed to dismantle critical public health safeguards ranging from the Clean Water Rule that protects drinking water sources for nearly 2 million Floridians to the Mercury and Air Toxic rule that protects our kids and other vulnerable citizens from highly damaging pollution.
“In addition, as Oklahoma Attorney General, Mr. Pruitt disbanded the state’s environmental protection unit. He was the leading opponent of the Clean Power Plan which set the first ever national limits on carbon pollution and undercut actions to clean up major poultry pollution problems in his state’s river system.
“When asked during his hearing, Mr. Pruitt could not name one current EPA protection that he supported.
“Floridians and all Americans deserve an EPA administrator who will fight to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the planet we love. Scott Pruitt fails on all these accounts.
“We thank Senator Nelson for standing up for our families’ health, clean water and clean air and voting to reject President Trump’s nomination of Scott Pruitt to head the EPA. Unlike his colleague, we are extremely disappointed that Senator Rubio voted to jeopardize our families’ health and Florida’s environment by approving Pruitt to head the EPA.”
Environment Florida is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization working for a cleaner, greener, healthier future.
