Virginia Senators Vote to Protect Clean Water

Environment Virginia

Richmond, Va – Senators Kaine and Warner, as well as other champions of clean water beat back an attempt today by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) to undo the Clean Water Rule, which restores protections for steams that feed the Potomac, the James and the Chesapeake Bay and help provide drinking water for over 2 million Virginians.

Finalized in May, the Clean Water Rule has support from more than 800,000 Americans, including over 15,000 public comments from Virginians, and is backed by more than 1,200 peer-reviewed scientific studies. But it has drawn the ire of a wide variety of powerful polluting interests, including big developers, agribusinesses, and coal-giant Murray Energy, who have vowed to fight in the measure in Congress and in the courts.

“We’re glad to see that Senators Warner and Kaine side with Virginians and our rivers and lakes rather than the polluters,” said Frances Klein, Campaign Organizer with Environment Virginia, “and we’re glad that clean water won today.”

The Clean Water Rule returns safeguards under the Clean Water Act to 2 million miles of streams and millions of acres of wetlands, including more than half of Virginia’s streams, left vulnerable to pollution and development following a pair of Supreme Court decisions in the 2000’s.

Today’s attempt to overturn the rule won’t be the last. Senator Jodi Ernst (R-Iowa) has filed a separate measure to invalidate the rule under the Congressional Review Act, and a vote is expected as soon as this week.

“With leaders in Congress bent on doing polluters’ bidding, we know that today’s attack on clean water is one of several,” said Klein. “But with the strong backing of Senators Warner and Kaine, the president, and Virginians, the Clean Water Rule will survive, and our rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands will get the protections they deserve.”