Protect Our Wildlife and Waterways from Dangerous Pesticides
Pesticide contamination is widespread in our waterways and water supply, and has been linked to birth defects, deformities, fertility problems and certain cancers. These toxic pesticides present a significant, unnecessary threat to wildlife and human health every day in the United States.
Yet right now, industry lobbyists are trying to persuade Congress to gut the Clean Water Act to allow unregulated pesticide applications in our water. At the same time, the Environmental Protection Agency is poised to approve the broad-scale application of pesticides into wetlands and waterways.
Demand that our wildlife and waterways get stronger protections. Tell Congress and the EPA to keep pesticides out of our water.
I support the Clean Water Act's strong safeguards against the harmful effects of pesticide contamination. The Act has worked for almost 30 years to protect and clean up our waterways; now is not the time to roll back those protections.
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We must support strong Clean Water Act controls to reduce pesticide pollution. I urge you to oppose H.R. 874 or any Senate companion bill or rider that would strip the Clean Water Act of authority to control the application of pesticides on, over or near our waterways.
I also encourage you to require that the Environmental Protection Agency take strong steps to protect threatened and endangered wildlife from pesticides authorized under the Pesticides General Permit (EPA-HQ-OW-2010-0257). The National Marine Fisheries Service has provided a "Reasonable and Prudent Alternative" that would reduce the threats posed by pesticides on our nation's most imperiled aquatic wildlife. This alternative is the bare minimum needed to comply with existing law and prevent the EPA from running afoul of the Endangered Species Act.
I urge the EPA to go further and establish rigorous buffers around waterways that limit the application of any pesticides that could enter waterbodies that are home to species protected under the Endangered Species Act. The EPA has broad authority under the Clean Water Act to prohibit toxic pollutants in our waterways and protect water quality for wildlife. The EPA must ensure that pesticide pollutants are kept out of our nation's waterways.
