Raleigh, NC— More than 49% percent of industrial and municipal facilities across North Carolina discharged more pollution into our waterways in 2005 than the Clean Water Act permits, according to Troubled Waters: An analysis of Clean Water Act compliance, a new report released today by Environment North Carolina.
“As the Clean Water Act turns 35, polluters continue to foul our rivers, lakes and streams,” said Environment North Carolina Field Organizer Margaret Hartzell. “With so many facilities dumping so much pollution, no one should be surprised that nearly half of America’s waterways are unsafe for swimming and fishing. But we should be outraged.”
The goals of the 1972 Clean Water Act are to eliminate the discharge of pollutants into waterways and make all U.S. waterways swimmable and fishable. Over the last three and a half decades, this landmark environmental law has made significant improvements in water quality, but the original goals have yet to be met.
Using the Freedom of Information Act, Environment North Carolina obtained data on facilities’ compliance with the Clean Water Act between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005. Environment North Carolina researchers found that:
Fifty seven percent of all major U.S. industrial and municipal facilities discharged more pollution into U.S. waterways than allowed by law at least once during 2005. The average facility exceeded its pollution permit limit by 263 percent, discharging close to four times the legal limit.
- More than 49% of North Carolina’s industrial and municipal facilities exceeded their Clean Water Act permits at least once in 2005
- On average, North Carolina facilities exceeding their Clean Water Act permits did so by more than 340%.
- Polluters in North Carolina reported 62 instances in which they exceeded their Clean Water Act permit by at least 500 percent over the legal limit, ranking North Carolina 10th in the country
“Facilities in North Carolina and across the country continue to dump more pollution into our waterways than is allowed by law,” said Hartzell.
Hartzell noted that the findings are likely just the tip of the polluted iceberg, since the data that Environment North Carolina analyzed includes only “major” facilities and does not include pollution discharged into waters by the thousands of minor facilities across the country.
Over the last six years, the Bush administration has proposed or enacted numerous policies that weaken the Clean Water Act. These include: two separate policies that eliminate Clean Water Act protections for streams and wetlands that feed and clean treasured lakes, rivers and bays; funding cuts to EPA’s budget, including significant cuts to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; and policies that allow more sewage pollution into waterways.
Environment North Carolina called on the Bush administration to end its efforts to weaken federal clean water safeguards and for Congress to pass the Clean Water Restoration Act, legislation to ensure all U.S. waterways are protected by the Clean Water Act.
Environment North Carolina applauded Rep. David Price, Rep. Brad Miller, Rep. G.K. Butterfield, and Rep. Mel Watt for sponsoring this important clean water bill.
“Instead of holding polluters accountable, the Bush administration is allowing more—not less-- pollution to enter our waterways. Now more than ever, Congress should step in to protect all of America’s waters,” concluded Hartzell.
