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A victory for Washington’s water quality standards and a return to upholding science-based standards to protect public health, but more is needed

Biden administration EPA concerned that Trump standards were not protective of public health or based on science

Environmental groups, regional tribes and fishing organizations head to court in defense of community health and critical protections for the consumption of fish

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency memo reveals plan to return to weaker standards

U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Rothstein found EPA in violation of the Clean Water Act for failing to meet deadlines aimed at protecting human health in Washington from water pollution.

EPA can no longer delay actions on toxins in water that harm human health

Plaintiffs Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, Center for Justice, RE Sources for
Sustainable Communities, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, and the Institute for Fisheries Resources bring suit under the Clean Water Act to secure relief against ongoing violations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) of a non-discretionary
duty under the Clean Water Act to promulgate standards necessary to meet the requirements of
the Clean Water Act and to protect designated uses, including the consumption of fish.

Waterkeepers Washington moves for summary judgment against Defendants U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Administrator Gina McCarthy. EPA and the Administrator have failed to comply with the nondiscretionary obligation under 33 U.S.C. § 1313(c)(4) to promptly promulgate revised human health criteria based on an accurate fish consumption rate for Washington that adequately protects the fishable and swimmable uses required by the Clean Water Act. Waterkeepers Washington requests an order from the Court requiring EPA to finalize the proposed revised fish consumption rate and human health water quality standards for Washington within 30 days of the Court‟s order.

Clean water advocates and commercial fishermen move to protect people from dangerously weak water pollution standards

The state’s funny math on water quality standards adds up to toxic waterways, mercury-laden fish and weakened cancer risk protections.

The Governor has announced that he will present a “path forward” on Washington’s fish consumption standard and development of human health water quality criteria on July 9, 2014. Earthjustice, representing the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, Columbia Riverkeeper, Spokane Riverkeeper, North Sound Baykeeper, and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency…

Fish consumption rates underestimate risk to people—must be updated

Fish consumption rates fail to protect fishermen and consumers

The Clean Water Act requires states to promulgate, and keep updated, water quality standards that protect designated uses of water such as recreation, drinking or fishing (and eating the fish caught). Washington State’s human health water quality standards, particularly those meant to protect consumption of fish, were woefully out of date and do not protect…

Public health endangered—fish consumption rates underestimate risk to people