Epa to Give States Clean-Up Authority?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to give states more authority to decide whether to clean up pollution in rivers and lakes. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham has more:

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to give states more authority to decide whether to clean up pollution in rivers and lakes. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham has more:


The E.P.A. says its new proposal would “trust the states” to clean up waterways. The E.P.A. would give up its authority to sign off on states’ clean-up plans and instead leave it up to the states to decide if, when, and how a waterway would be cleaned up. In a report in U.S.A. Today, an E.P.A. official indicates the change would make it possible for more water bodies to be cleaned up more quickly and effectively. But some environmental groups say the federal government is abandoning its responsibility to clean up the nation’s waters. Howard Fox is with the group Earthjustice.


“Where there are failures over a really long period by the states, to step in and clean up the water, there has to be a backstop role by the federal government to move things along.”


Farm groups, timber companies and municipalities have been worried that the Clinton-era rule requiring the E.P.A. to sign off on clean up plans would end up costing them too much money. Most are in favor of letting the states make the decisions.

Clean Water Act Fights Air Pollution

Public health officials say mercury is proving to be one of the most
troublesome pollutants. While mercury causes brain and reproductive
damage, it’s very difficult to capture and very difficult to clean up.
But in northern Minnesota, people are trying an innovative approach to
the mercury problem, and they’re using an obscure part of the clean
water act. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Stephanie Hemphill
reports: