Toxic Waters: Rulings Restrict Clean Water Act, Foiling E.P.A.

I feel like I keep hearing the same sad story over and over again. Big business buying political power and ultimately using it to go against legislation enforced to protect citizens. The article is entitiled Toxic Waters, and is “about the worsening pollution in American waters and regulators' response.” This time it is the American Farm Bureau, National Association of Homebuilders, and American Land Rights Association that are opposing new laws created by the Environmental Protection Agency. They have lobbied the issue to the point where it has not even been able to make it the the floor of the House. Interests groups like the Waters Advocacy Coalition like to “emphasize the scary possibilities”, making voters wary of any new passing legislation. The authors goes on to mention that if a political commentator, like Glenn Beck, can tell the millions of Americans watching his show that the new water regulations will send “government storm troopers” their way, you better believe it will sway an opinion or two on the matter. And this is how during the last four years over 1500 major investigations regarding pollution have been “shelved or discontinued”. A even more shocking revelation: “About 117 million Americans get their drinking water from sources fed by waters that are vulnerable to exclusion from the Clean Water Act, according to E.P.A. Reports.” 

One of the authors, Janet Roberts, has written many previous articles for the Times including reports on past environmental regulation, the banking industry, and such issues as new laws for the food and drug administration. The other author, Charles Duhigg, is an award winning writer and is credibly noted for his findings on profits in the elderly industry. I strongly agree with both authors. Legislation restricting the powers of the Environmental Protection Agency is only hurting ourselves, and saving the big corporations the time, effort, and energy needed to clean up their messes. The safety and well-being of not only ourselves, but our environment, is necessary for our society's success.