Clean Water Act Excludes Some Waters; New Rule Exempts Polluting Industries

(Before It's News)

In major shift, new rule excludes some wetlands, ponds. For the first time since passage of the Clean Water Act, U.S. EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers are conceding that some wetlands and ponds are too remote from the tributary system to warrant federal protection.

8 Reasons the Clean Water Rule Fails to Protect People and the Planet. The final rule exempts industrial-scale livestock facilities, and allows streams and rivers to be impounded or filled with toxic coal ash and other waste.

• EPA Proposes Temp Pesticide-Free Zones for Bees; Potent Pesticide Still Used Despite Scientists’ Warnings
• California: Wells Dry, Valley Sinking; Hydro Power Down by 1/3
• Seaweed May Fight Ocean Acidification; Fighting for Our Oceans
• Puerto Rico Urges Water Conservation amid Heat Wave; Silent Seashores
• Aspire to Ecozoic Era; Alaskan Wants to Sell Water to California
• Drought Makes California Air Worse; Leasing Water for Farmers
• Lawrence, KS Precations after Topeka Sewage Leak; Cupertino Cement Quarry Settles Water Pollution Violation
• $10,000 Fines for Water Wasters; Casco Bay somewhat Healthy
• Six Flags Deforestation; The Amazon Trees that Keep Planet Cool
• Wall Street Deal to Save Forests? Hundreds of Millions of Acres of Forests Could be Lost by 2030