Charlottesville, VA- Environment Virginia released an analysis today documenting that Representative Virgil Goode has consistently taken the side of polluters in opposing stronger protections for our waterways. Specifically, Goode has voted to deny environmental protection for Virginia’s streams and wetlands, to allow polluters to conceal information about 19.5 million pounds of toxic chemicals dumped each year into Virginia’s waterways, and against critical funding for the repair and upgrading of outdated sewer systems in Virginia and elsewhere across the country.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 63 percent of Virginia’s assessed rivers and streams and 97 percent of Virginia’s assessed lakes are already too polluted for fishing, swimming or other uses. Polluters dumped more than 244 million pounds of toxic chemicals into American waterways in 2006. And more than 850 billion gallons of raw or inadequately treated sewage are discharged into waterways each year.
“Virginia needs representatives in Congress who understand the importance of clean water to the state’s economy and our environment and will take on the polluters,” said Environment Virginia Clean Water Advocate Christy Leavitt. “Unfortunately, during his time in the U.S. House, Rep. Virgil Goode has voted consistently to weaken protections for America’s rivers, lakes and streams—putting our environment and the health of the public at risk.”
The last eight years under President Bush represent a large step backward that contrasts with sharply with decades of progress in protecting water supplies, according to the group. Among his anti-environment actions of special interest to Virginians, President Bush has:
- Moved to eliminate Clean Water Act protections for at least 57 percent of Virginia’s streams—waterways that are critical for a variety of wildlife and that feed the drinking water supplies of 3.3 million people.
- Curtailed enforcement of the Clean Water Act. For example, major Virginia facilities exceeded their permitted amounts of water pollution more than 220 times in 2005.
- Put the interests of Big Oil ahead of the public by exempting the construction of oil and gas drilling sites from the Clean Water Act.
“Time and again, Representative Goode has stood with George Bush and the polluters to weaken protections for America’s waterways. To protect the health of Virginia’s waterways and our environment, Virginians in the 5th congressional district should elect Tom Perriello to the U.S. Congress,” concluded Leavitt.”
View the full report.
For more information contact:
Ivan Frishberg or Jen Mueller at (202) 683-1250.
