In honor of the 45^th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski released the following statement;

“Prior to passage of the Clean Water Act, our lakes were filled with trash and devoid of life, sewage and industrial pollution flowed in our rivers, and we were on the verge of a public health crisis caused by our own waterways. As Former Congressman Dingell, who led the historic effort to pass the Act and overcome a veto from President Nixon, recounts, the Clean Water Act has been absolutely fundamental to cleaning up our water, making it safer for drinking and for recreation, improving public health, and ensuring our businesses and communities have the clean water they need to thrive. Yet on the 45^th anniversary of this landmark legislation, it is outrageous that the Trump administration and its Congressional allies are working to undermine and rollback the progress we’ve made and put people’s health at risk, especially that of low-income and communities of color, only for the benefit of big polluters. Our waterways still face numerous challenges, and now more than ever we need Congress to stand up to protect—not weaken—our fundamental laws and safeguards that protect our waterways and ensure everyone has access to clean and safe water.”