From PennFuture (http://www.pennfuture.org):
The Ohio River watershed’s natural resources provide vital habitat for fish and wildlife, including the kingfisher, a number of threatened and endangered species like paddlefish and Indiana bat, and nearly 50 species of freshwater mussels. Most of western Pennsylvania lies within the watershed.
Unfortunately, the Ohio River also tops the list of the nation’s most polluted waterways. The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), an interstate water pollution control agency, is charged with ensuring that pollution originating in one state does not have a negative effect on the waters of another state.
In a stunning move, a majority of Commissioners just dealt a blow to healthy water for people and wildlife by supporting the elimination of key Pollution Control Standards, as well as a complete withdrawal of the Commission from setting, maintaining, and implementing Pollution Control Standards in the future.
Tell the Governor, PA Dept. of Environmental Protection, PA Commissioner, and your U.S. Representatives to keep Pollution Control Standards intact and mandatory for the Ohio River basin to improve the health of one of America’s most polluted rivers at https://pennfuture.salsalabs.org/orsancoactionalert/index.html.
Historically, the Commission’s water quality programs have been essential to reducing the effects of pollution. With water safeguards being challenged at federal and local levels, it’s more important than ever that commissioners protect and enforce pollution control standards.
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