{"id":38545,"date":"2025-05-27T00:01:35","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T04:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=38545"},"modified":"2025-05-27T15:05:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T19:05:24","slug":"revision-to-clean-water-regulations-threatens-biological-integrity-of-the-nations-waters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2025\/05\/revision-to-clean-water-regulations-threatens-biological-integrity-of-the-nations-waters\/","title":{"rendered":"Revision to Clean Water Regulations Threatens Biological Integrity of the Nation’s Waters"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides<\/em>, May 27, 2025) Ever since the Clean Water Act<\/a><\/em>\u00a0(CWA) became law in 1972, to \u201crestore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters,\u201d the definition of the \u201cNation’s waters,\u201d aka \u201cwaters of the U.S.\u201d or \u201cWOTUS,\u201d has been cloaked in\u00a0controversy.<\/a>\u00a0This controversy is coming to a head again as the\u00a0Trump administration<\/a>\u00a0revises regulations in which the Biden\u00a0administration<\/a>\u00a0attempted to interpret the Supreme Court’s decision in\u00a0Sackett v. EPA<\/a><\/em>\u00a0(2023) in a way that is consistent with the goals of CWA.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The declaration of goals and policy in CWA begins:\u00a0<\/p>\n

The objective of this Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters. In order to achieve this objective it is hereby declared that, consistent with the provisions of this Act\u2014\u00a0<\/p>\n

(1) it is the national goal that the discharge of pollutants into the navigable waters be eliminated by 1985;\u00a0<\/p>\n

(2) it is the national goal that wherever attainable, an interim goal of water quality which provides for the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and provides for recreation in and on the water be achieved by July 1, 1983;\u00a0<\/p>\n

(3) it is the national policy that the discharge of toxic pollutants in toxic amounts be prohibited; . . .\u00a0<\/p>\n

Section 502(7) of CWA defines the term \u201cnavigable waters,\u201d which delineates the jurisdiction of CWA regulation to be \u201cwaters of the United States, including the territorial seas,\u201d thus removing the nexus to navigability in earlier law. According to the\u00a0Congressional Research Service<\/a>\u00a0(CRS), \u201cThe\u00a0Clean Water Act<\/em>\u00a0itself does not expand further on the meaning of ‘waters of the United States.’ Instead, the Corps [Army Corps of Engineers] and EPA have expounded on this phrase through agency guidance and regulations, which federal courts have struck down on various occasions as failing to satisfy statutory or constitutional requirements.\u201d The CRS further explains:\u00a0<\/p>\n

In debating the 1972 amendments that created the\u00a0Clean Water Act<\/em>, some Members of Congress explained that they intended the revised definition to expand the law’s jurisdiction beyond traditionally navigable or interstate waters. The conference report states that the “conferees fully intend that the term ‘navigable waters’ be given the broadest possible constitutional interpretation unencumbered by agency determinations which have been made or may be made for administrative purposes.” And during debate in the House on approving the conference report, one Representative explained that the definition “clearly encompasses all water bodies, including streams and their tributaries, for water quality purposes.” Courts have frequently referred to the act’s legislative history when interpreting its jurisdictional reach, but they have not always agreed on the import of this history.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a result, the jurisdiction of EPA and delegated state and tribal entities to protect water quality has varied according to the politics of the administration in power at the time. There is clearly a need to clarify the scope of CWA protections.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Science also has a role to play. Bodies of surface water do not exist as independent entities. Intermittent streams flow into rivers and lakes. Ponds, ditches, and wetlands may feed lakes and streams either\u00a0directly<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0through groundwater<\/a>. Contaminants of intermittent or ephemeral water bodies can affect wildlife dependent on them, as well as the waters to which they are connected. The toxic soup in many U.S. waterways is unsustainable and threatens the foundation of many food chains. Imbalances in aquatic environments\u00a0can ripple throughout the food web, creating trophic cascades<\/a>\u00a0that further exacerbate health and environmental damage.\u00a0Studies of major rivers and streams<\/a>\u00a0find that 90% of fish, 100% of surface water samples, and 41% of major aquifers contain one or more pesticides at detectable levels. Almost 90% of water samples contained at least five or more different pesticides. Furthermore, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reports at least 143 pesticides and 21 pesticide transformation\/breakdown products (metabolites) in the groundwater of over 43 states.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The broad goals of CWA can be met only if agencies adopt a consistent \u201cbroadest possible constitutional interpretation\u201d of WOTUS. In the last Congress,\u00a0H.R. 5983<\/a>\u00a0(2023), introduced by U.S. Representative\u00a0Rick Larsen (D-WA) and 131 cosponsors, would have provided the needed clarity. The goals of H.R. 5983 are “… (1) To reaffirm the commitment of Congress to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s protected water resources.\u00a0(2) To clearly define the Nation’s protected water resources that are subject to the\u00a0Federal Water Pollution Control Act<\/em>\u00a0(33 U.S.C. 1252 et seq.<\/a>) (commonly known as the \u201cClean Water Act<\/em>\u201d) based on the best available scientific evidence and decades of partnership between the Federal, State, and Tribal governments to protect water quality.\u00a0(3) To eliminate the confusion initiated by the Supreme Court’s overly narrow interpretation of the term ‘navigable waters.’\u00a0(4) To reestablish the comprehensive authority necessary to meet the codified objective of the\u00a0Clean Water Act<\/em>; and to restore a national minimum standard of protection of the Nation’s protected water resources to the fullest extent of the legislative authority of Congress under the Constitution.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

>> Tell your U.S. Representative and Senators to ensure that agencies reaffirm U.S. commitment to restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of all the nation’s protected water resources<\/strong><\/a>.<\/a><\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Letter to U.S. Representative and Senators:
\n<\/span>I am concerned about the deterioration of protection of our nation\u2019s waters. Ever since the Clean Water Act<\/em> (CWA) became law in 1972, to \u201crestore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation\u2019s waters,\u201d the definition of the \u201cNation\u2019s waters,\u201d aka \u201cwaters of the U.S.\u201d or \u201cWOTUS,\u201d has been cloaked in controversy. This controversy is coming to a head again as the Trump administration revises the definition.<\/p>\n

*** The declaration of goals and policy in CWA begins:<\/p>\n

The objective of this Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation\u2019s waters. In order to achieve this objective it is hereby declared that, consistent with the provisions of this Act\u2014
\n(1) it is the national goal that the discharge of pollutants into the navigable waters be eliminated by 1985;
\n(2) it is the national goal that wherever attainable, an interim goal of water quality which provides for the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and provides for recreation in and on the water be achieved by July 1, 1983;
\n(3) it is the national policy that the discharge of toxic pollutants in toxic amounts be prohibited; . . .<\/p>\n

Section 502(7) of CWA defines the term \u201cnavigable waters,\u201d which delineates the jurisdiction of CWA regulation to be \u201cwaters of the United States, including the territorial seas.\u201d CWA left the definition of \u201cwaters of the United States\u201d to EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers, which have produced definitions changing with the politics of the administration in power. The Congressional Research Service says, \u201cIn debating the 1972 amendments that created the Clean Water Act<\/em>, some Members of Congress explained that they intended the revised definition to expand the law’s jurisdiction beyond traditionally navigable or interstate waters. The conference report states that the \u2018conferees fully intend that the term ‘navigable waters’ be given the broadest possible constitutional interpretation unencumbered by agency determinations which have been made or may be made for administrative purposes.\u2019 And during debate in the House on approving the conference report, one Representative explained that the definition \u2018clearly encompasses all water bodies, including streams and their tributaries, for water quality purposes.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

There is clearly a need to clarify the scope of CWA protections. <\/p>\n

Science also has a role to play. Bodies of surface water do not exist as independent entities. Intermittent streams flow into rivers and lakes. Ponds, ditches, and wetlands may feed lakes and streams either directly or through groundwater. Contaminants of intermittent or ephemeral water bodies can affect wildlife dependent on them, as well as the waters to which they are connected. The toxic soup in many U.S. waterways is unsustainable and threatens the foundation of many food chains. Imbalances in aquatic environments can ripple throughout the food web, creating trophic cascades that further exacerbate health and environmental damage.<\/p>\n

The goals of CWA can be met only if agencies adopt a consistent \u201cbroadest possible constitutional interpretation\u201d of WOTUS. I ask you\u2014through oversight and legislation\u2014to reaffirm the nation\u2019s commitment to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation\u2019s protected water resources; to clearly define the nation\u2019s protected water resources based on the best available scientific evidence; to eliminate the confusion over the term \u2018navigable waters;\u2019 to reestablish the comprehensive authority necessary to meet the objectives of the Clean Water Act<\/em>; and to restore a national minimum standard of protection of the nation\u2019s protected water resources.<\/p>\n

In the last Congress, H.R. 5983, introduced by U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen and 131 co-sponsors, would have provided the needed clarity.<\/p>\n

Thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides, May 27, 2025) Ever since the Clean Water Act\u00a0(CWA) became law in 1972, to \u201crestore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters,\u201d the definition of the \u201cNation’s waters,\u201d aka \u201cwaters of the U.S.\u201d or \u201cWOTUS,\u201d has been cloaked in\u00a0controversy.\u00a0This controversy is coming to a head again as the\u00a0Trump administration\u00a0revises regulations in which the Biden\u00a0administration\u00a0attempted to interpret the Supreme Court’s decision in\u00a0Sackett v. EPA\u00a0(2023) in a way that is consistent with the goals of CWA.\u00a0 The declaration of goals and policy in CWA begins:\u00a0 The objective of this Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters. In order to achieve this objective it is hereby declared that, consistent with the provisions of this Act\u2014\u00a0 (1) it is the national goal that the discharge of pollutants into the navigable waters be eliminated by 1985;\u00a0 (2) it is the national goal that wherever attainable, an interim goal of water quality which provides for the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and provides for recreation in and on the water be achieved by July 1, 1983;\u00a0 (3) it is the national policy that the discharge of toxic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":38549,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1775,518,503,581,19,276,1726,12],"tags":[674,680,669,1776,2160,2159,1777,681,1453,786,682,852,2158],"class_list":["post-38545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-clean-water-act","category-groundwater","category-indigenous-people","category-native-americans","category-statelocal","category-take-action","category-u-s-supreme-court","category-water","tag-action-of-the-week","tag-clean-water-act","tag-congress","tag-cwa","tag-hr-5983","tag-navigable-waters","tag-sackett","tag-supreme-court","tag-surface-water","tag-take-action","tag-water","tag-waterways","tag-wotus"],"yoast_head":"\nRevision to Clean Water Regulations Threatens Biological Integrity of the Nation's Waters - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tell Congress to ensure that agencies reaffirm U.S. commitment to restoring and maintaining clean water! 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