You recently ran a letter about attorneys writing about a rule that the EPA is currently proposing that would restore protections to streams and wetlands that impact Georgia’s rivers. As a Georgia native, I know how important the rivers are to our state’s natural beauty, as the Chattahoochee always presents itself as a fun river for swimming on the weekends.
Supreme Court cases brought on by big polluters over the past decade opened dangerous loopholes in the Clean Water Act. These loopholes leave the drinking water for nearly five million Georgians vulnerable to increased pollution.
Despite the benefits that cleaner streams and wetlands could bring to the Savannah river, people known for polluting our streams like the oil and gas industry seem intent on painting this as a power grab. I’d encourage interested Georgians to read the rule and some of the fact sheets on the EPA’s website.
This is a great step forward for our rivers and drinking water and I urge readers to do their own research and stand up for clean rivers in Georgia.
Evan Swaak is a native and resident of Atlanta, Ga., conducting research on the proposed EPA water rules for Environment Georgia.