A Growing Water Crisis

July 16, 2019

Dear PEER Members,

As two PEER staffers, we are here to let you know some of the water issues we are working on and why we are continuing to fight every day against the disastrous ideology that the government should go soft on polluters.

EPA’s embrace of this ideology is laying the groundwork for a full-blown water crisis in this country.  That is why PEER is calling out EPA’s indifference to thetoxic PFAS crisis, laying the groundwork to challenge EPA’s effort to slash the scope of the Clean Water Act, speaking up against its proposal to gut the Agency’s budget for drinking water programs, and exposing the Agency’s efforts to suppress information on the major pollution consequences of proposed mining activities.   

These actions are part of EPA’s policy of “cooperative federalism,” where states are given more leeway in administering delegated federal laws. Too often this policy results in the wholesale weakening of federal protections while EPA looks the other way. Therefore, we are fighting at the state level, too. In Florida, for example, PEER thoroughly debunked repeated boasts by the Scott administration of widespread compliance with Florida anti-pollution laws.  We found that in Florida’s potable water program, for example, fewer than 42% of the potable water facilities and 52 percent of domestic wastewater facilities were in compliance with rules to protect drinking water. 

Florida shows what happens when EPA looks the other way and narrow-minded ideologues take over state environmental agencies. Enforcement and compliance rates drop and state agencies begin to make data up to justify their actions.

EPA’s abandonment of its state oversight role affects the quality of our waters. It gives polluters a free pass and corrodes our governmental institutions. Thanks to your support, we are fighting hard to make sure this doesn’t happen.

Kyla Bennett, PhD, JD
Director, New England PEER
Director, Science Policy

Jerry Phillips, JD
Director, Florida PEER

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