Back to top

Science publishes letter urging the EPA to uphold 2015 WOTUS decision

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

UPDATE: A Google document is being used to gather signatures of freshwater scientists in support of maintaining the EPA's 2015 WOTUS decision. That document can be found here.

Science published a letter authored by freshwater scientists, including several SFS members, urging the EPA to uphold its 2015 Waters of the US decision. The letter noted that intermittent streams "provide many ecosystem services", including drinking water provision and critical habitat for imperiled species. The letter further warns that failure to protect intermittent streams risks irreversible damage to these critical ecosystems. Read the letter here: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6405/856.

In recent years, SFS had been active in providing public comment, in coordination with the Consortium of Aquatic Science Societies, to the US EPA and to Congress regarding the Waters of the US decision. Those letters and comments can be found here: https://freshwater-science.org/about/science-policy/public-policy-comments.

SFS members are also encouraged to share their expertise and opinion with the EPA regarding WOTUS by searching for Docket ID EPA–HQ–OW–2017–0203 at https://www.regulations.gov/ or by email at OW-Docket@epa.gov, reference Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OW–2017–0200.