Supporting the Environmental Protection Agencies' and the Army Corps of Engineers' proposed definition of "Waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act to help enhance the protection of our nation's public health and aquatic resources, and increase the Clean Water Act's program predictability and consistency by increasing clarity as to the scope of "Waters of the United States" protected under the Act.

WHEREAS, The Waters of the United States provide an extraordinary value for the protection of public health, recreational resources, economic livelihood related to clean water, and are a treasured resource; and

WHEREAS, The Clean Water Act is the fundamental federal law protecting the Waters of the United States from pollution, degradation and destruction; and

WHEREAS, Critical streams and wetlands which supply drinking water protect against floods and filter pollution previously were protected under the Clean Water Act but federal policy changes over the last decade have left these streams and wetlands vulnerable to degradation or destruction; and

WHEREAS, These vulnerable waters of the United States impact sources of drinking water for over 117 million Americans; and

WHEREAS, Strong federal standards are needed because water does not respect political boundaries and flows from one state to another; and

WHEREAS, More than 1,000 peer reviewed scientific studies have confirmed that headwater intermittent and ephemeral streams and wetlands affect the quantity and quality of water in larger bodies of water downstream; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers have proposed a clarifying rulemaking to restore protection for streams and wetlands previously protected under the Clean Water Act, safeguarding water quality in the nation's waters, protecting jobs in businesses that depend on clean water and safeguarding drinking water for one in three Americans; and

WHEREAS, The proposal leaves in place all agricultural exemptions and creates new exemptions for agricultural practices related to conservation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED

,

BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby support the proposed definition of “Waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act and urges the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers to finalize these important protections for our nation's water resources.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Michael Roles of the Clean Water Action as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

End