[Oshkosh, WI] More than 35 percent of industrial and municipal facilities across
Wisconsin discharged more pollution into our waterways than their Clean Water
Act permits allowed in 2005, according to Troubled
Waters: An analysis of Clean Water Act Compliance, a new report released
today by Wisconsin Environment.
“As the Clean Water
Act turns 35, polluters continue to foul our rivers, lakes and streams,” said
Beth McDaniel, Clean Water Associate with Wisconsin Environment. “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.”
Jeff Phillips, Environmental
Health Supervisor for Winnebago County, added, "Because so many people
swim in and drink water from Wisconsin's rivers and lakes, this illegal dumping
is more than an environmental issue; it's a public health threat."
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. 48% of rivers and
streams, and 63% of lakes in Wisconsin are too polluted for basic activities
like swimming and fishing.
"Fishing is a valued pastime in Wisconsin, but it's
also a 2.3 billion dollar industry. So, things like illegal dumping keep
people from enjoying a sport they love, but it also takes a toll on local
businesses," warned Chris Wenzel of Oshkosh Bassmasters.
Using the Freedom of
Information Act, Wisconsin Environment obtained data on facilities’ compliance
with the Clean Water Act between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005. Wisconsin
Environment 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 35% percent of Wisconsin’s industrial and municipal facilities
exceeded their Clean Water Act permits at least once in 2005.
• 46 facilities in Wisconsin reported
more than 130 exceedances of their Clean Water Act permits in 2005.
• Polluters in
Wisconsin reported 7 instances in which they exceeded their Clean Water Act
permit by at least 500 percent over the legal limit.
“Facilities in
Wisconsin and across the country continue to dump more pollution into our
waterways than is allowed by law,” said McDaniel.
McDaniel noted that the findings are likely just the tip of the polluted iceberg,
since the data that Wisconsin Environment 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.
Wisconsin Environment 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.
Wisconsin Environment applauded Senator Russ Feingold for introducing the
Clean Water Restoration Act and urged Representative Tom Petri to mark the anniversary of the Clean
Water Act by joining the 172 co-sponsors of the Clean Water Restoration Act
“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 McDaniel.
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Wisconsin
Environment is a statewide, non-partisan, non-profit environmental advocacy
organization and is the new home of WISPIRG’s environmental work.
WI-Troubled-Waters-2007.pdf