Washington, D.C. — In response to the Biden-Harris administration’s launch of “The America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge: A Partnership to Conserve and Restore America’s Rivers, Lakes, Streams, and Wetlands,”  the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released the following statement from LCV Healthy Communities Program Director Madeleine Foote:

“LCV is beyond excited to be one of over 100 inaugural members partnering with the Biden-Harris administration in the America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge to protect and restore our nation’s water resources. Our rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands, and other waters are critical to the health of our families and communities by providing opportunities for recreation, fueling local economies, serving as sources of clean drinking water, buffering against severe storms and flooding, and serving as sacred spaces for Tribal Nations and other communities. Unfortunately, issues like climate change and the terrible Supreme Court Sackett decision that removed Clean Water Act protections from over half our wetlands and millions of miles of streams mean that our waters are more in jeopardy now than ever before.

“This new partnership will help reverse the trend of wetlands loss and pollution and destruction of our waterways by bringing together people at all levels of government, Tribal Nations, organizations, businesses, and individuals to marshal the resources and implement the strategies necessary to reach the ambitious goals of safeguarding, restoring, and reconnecting 8 million acres of wetlands and 100,000 miles of our nation’s river and streams. Today’s announcement builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s tremendous progress and commitment to ensuring every community has access to clean water– from lead pipe removal to drinking water standards for toxic PFAS to protection of iconic waters like Bristol Bay and the Boundary Waters and more, this administration has cemented itself as the most pro-clean water in history, and we look forward to continuing to work together to safeguard our waters for generations to come.”

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