From Clean Water Action (http://www.cleanwateraction.org/):
We hope you are having a safe, happy and healthy New Year!
Here at Clean Water Action we’re focused on protecting Pennsylvania’s water resources – not polluters. Unfortunately, there is legislation (HB 1842) being considered by state legislators that would make it easier for industry to pollute our waterways. HB 1842 would significantly weaken the Clean Streams Law, one of our bedrock environmental laws, through changing how spills are reported. The legislation recently passed the State House and is currently before the State Senate. Email your state senator TODAY at https://cleanwater.salsalabs.org/pa-clean-streams-law/index.html and tell her/him to vote NO on HB 1842!
Current regulations require an individual or company that spills a toxic substance or another substance that would endanger or result in pollution of a waterway to immediately notify the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) of the spill. They must also notify known downstream users of the water, like a drinking water company or a farmer withdrawing water for irrigation, so they can take appropriate steps to protect their systems.
The language in HB 1842 would change it so that polluters have broader discretion in determining when to report a spill. They’re also given leeway to factor in any control and remedial measures that they utilized to determine the extent of the harm being posed by their spill. These reporting conditions would create ambiguity and uncertainty for not only companies, but confusion for the public and real concerns for environmental protection.
Pennsylvania’s waters are an invaluable resource for drinking water, recreation and habitat for aquatic life. We can’t afford the impact that weaker protections would have on this resource. Tell your state senator to vote NO on HB 1842.
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