Statement: New House bill looks to protect Florida rivers and other waterways by halting the administration’s Dirty Water Rule

Environment Florida

St. Petersburg, FL — The Clean Water for All Act, which was introduced today in Congress, would repeal the Trump administration’s “Dirty Water Rule.” The rule endangers drinking water for Floridians and millions of Americans by weakening the Clean Water Act. The new legislation was introduced by U.S. Reps. Peter Defazio (Oregon) and Grace Napolitano (California), who respectively chair the committee and subcommittee that oversee the Clean Water Act. 

The bill is the latest in a long line of rebukes to the Dirty Water Rule, which has been criticized by EPA’s own scientists, challenged in court by Environment America and several conservation groups, and opposed by the overwhelming number of public comments submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Jenna Stevens, State Director, issued the following statement in support of the bill:

“With the bill introduced today by Chairman DeFazio and Chairwoman Napolitano, Congress now has an opportunity to stop the worst rollback in the history of the Clean Water Act.”

“Wetlands and smaller streams are crucial in maintaining Florida waterways like the Tampa Bay. Wetlands filter out pollutants, provide wildlife habitat, and protect communities by absorbing floodwaters. And across Florida, streams help provide our drinking water. Yet the Dirty Water Rule leaves more than half our remaining wetlands and millions of miles of streams without federal protection, and thereby opens the floodgates for pollution.”

“The Clean Water for All Act can prevent that destruction. It is an essential step toward the Clean Water Act’s bipartisan vision of ensuring that all of our waters are truly safe and clean.”