Clean Water Act protections must be maintained (Editorial)
Updated Dec 28, 2020;
The Westfield River is a major tributary of the Connecticut River. The Westfield has four tributary branches of its own that meet up west of the city. During the industrial period in the mid-20th century, the Connecticut and the Westfield River was a virtual dumping ground for industry. Paper mills consistently dumped waste into the waters and in some areas of the Connecticut River, mostly around Holyoke, it could be determined what color paper was being produced by the color of the water.
Now, due to environmental protections and government regulations, these rivers are clean enough for swimming and fishing, are a vital part of our recreation and represent the natural beauty of our region. In September, Attorney General Maura Healey fined two companies $185,000 over allegations the companies discharged polluted industrial stormwater into local rivers. One of the impacted areas was the Powdermill Bro
New Report Says EPA Used Dubious Methodology to Justify Weakening the Clean Water Act Report co-authored by UMass Amherst economist David Keiser says EPA analysis assumes states will step in to protect waterways as wetlands and streams lose federal protection
December 17, 2020
David Keiser
AMHERST, Mass. – The Trump administration’s decision to remove federal Clean Water Act protections from millions of acres of wetlands and millions of miles of streams is based on dubious methodology and flawed logic, according to a new report by environmental economists from leading research institutions across the U.S, including the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers repealed the Obama-era Clean Water Rule, which clarified which bodies of water fell under federal protection from pollution under the 1972 Clean Water Act. Earlier this year, the agencies replaced that r
Action by the EPA this year has undone protections for wetlands and streams in the United States,
according to a new report from environmental economists. Photo: Graphic Stock
The Trump administration’s decision to remove federal Clean Water Act protections from millions of acres of wetlands and millions of miles of streams is based on dubious methodology and flawed logic, according to a new report by environmental economists from leading research institutions across the United States.
Bonnie Keeler, an assistant professor at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, is one of the authors. She and her co-authors were supported by the External Environmental Economics Advisory Committee (E-EEAC), an independent organization providing economic advice to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The E-EEAC was established after the EPA dissolved its own Environmental Economics Advisory Committee (EEAC) in 2018.