The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent to the White House a final, new clean water guidance meant to protect rivers, streams, and wetlands from pollution, restoring Clean Water Act safeguards that were in place for decades but recently placed in jeopardy. The following statement is from Earthjustice President Trip Van Noppen, commending the EPA and other federal agencies for this latest action to preserve the nation’s waters:

“We are pleased that the Obama administration is taking this important step to protect rivers, streams and all of our waterways from pollution. The public depends on clean water and demands programs that limit water pollution.

"This new guidance replaces two bad Bush administration guidances that left millions of miles of streams and acres of wetlands without safeguards from pollution.

"Clean water is critical to public health, the economy, and communities.”