The Clean Water Rule took years of compromise, hundreds of public meetings and thousands of comments to become final in 2015. It defines Waters of the US (WOTUS) and includes seasonal streams and headwater areas that flow into main water bodies. Under the Clean Water Rule, WOTUS are protected from pollution.

Guess what? Another bad decision by Trump’s EPA is at hand. The Clean Water Rule is up for repeal. Without it, run off with farm chemicals and industrial pollution will flow without consequence into our rivers, estuaries and seashores.

In Ventura County the Clean Water Rule is good for the Santa Clara and Ventura rivers. It means the small creeks and barrancas (sometimes dry) that get to those rivers are WOTUS and will be prevented from polluting the downstream areas. And those rivers are vital to us as a source of drinking and agricultural water supply, not to mention habitat for plants and animals that are important to our natural environment.

The proposed Clean Water Rule repeal is open for public comments only until Sep 27. Take a look at the comments so far. A good percent are from farm interests like this:

We are writing to support the proposal to repeal the 2015 "Waters of the U.S." rule. As supporters of agriculture, we strongly support this effort. Water is important to our families. We are glad that you recognize the flaws of the current WOTUS rule. It is overly broad and creates heavy burdens and costs, legal risk and tremendous uncertainty for farmers, ranchers and others, like me, who depend on the land. Under the 2015 rule, farmers, ranchers and other landowners across the country face new roadblocks to ordinary land-use activities. We applaud EPA for taking this important first step toward developing a new definition of waters of the United States that will protect water quality while also promoting economic growth, minimizing regulatory uncertainty, and respecting the proper roles of Congress and the states under the Constitution. (Mass Comment, Maryland Farm Bureau)

Please help tip the scale in favor of the future of clean water here in Ventura County. Make a comment before Sept 27. Use the Sierra Club comment form or even better, state your personal story, your professional expertise, or your local observations.

  Link to Sierra Club comment form: Clean Water Rule Action Alert

  Link to the federal register comment form: EPA-HQ-OW-2017-0203-0001