EPA Ruling Echoes NPG Forum Paper

NPG
August 23, 2016
NPG Commentary
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Last year, new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations limited “toxic water pollution from power plants,” in an effort to protect our nation’s dwindling water supplies.

But will a new environmental bill finally give the EPA real teeth to enforce such regulations?

Recently, Congress passed the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21^st Century Act – “the largest piece of environmental legislation passed in the United States since 1990.” However, some critics worry that “While the new bill clearly gives the [EPA] more authority… it may not actually protect the public more effectively than current law.” For NPG, this raises some serious concerns about our nation’s environmental health – particularly when it comes to our limited water supplies.

Last year, the EPA set new rules which would limit water pollution from power plants. According to the Waterkeeper Alliance: “Coal-fired power plants and their massive coal ash disposal ponds are the #1 source of toxic water pollution in the country, but until now, there have been no uniform limits on the amount of dangerous heavy metals that these facilities are allowed to discharge into waterways.”

Commenting on the new regulations, the EPA estimated that: “On an annual basis, the rule is projected to reduce the amount of toxic metals, nutrients, and other pollutants that steam electric power plants are allowed to discharge by 1.4 billion pounds and reduce water withdrawal by 57 billion gallons.” The EPA projected $451 to $566 million in health and environmental benefits associated with the new rule – and the Waterkeeper Alliance estimated that implementing the restrictions would cost most power plants “less than one percent of their annual revenue.”

NPG applauds both the new environmental legislation from Congress and the recent EPA regulations on water pollution – both efforts are long overdue. America’s environment must be protected and preserved – particularly our limited water supplies – and U.S. population growth is seriously contributing to our water woes.

Our NPG Forum paper Dying of Thirst: Population Growth, Climate Change Aggravate Water Shortages, authored by Leon Kolankiewicz, reviews the dwindling supply – and diminishing quality – of our nation’s water. Kolankiewicz’s essay rejects the prevalent conviction that present conservation methods will preserve our water supplies for the long-term. The new Forum paper echoes NPG’s concerns that our growing human numbers are creating a domino effect on Earth’s natural resources – which are ultimately limited.

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NPG continues to publish and distribute our fact-filled Forum papers and powerful National Press Releases to our full membership, the U.S. Congress, key contacts within the national media, and other interested organizations. We will continue our work to raise public awareness – we must ACT NOW to slow, halt, and eventually reverse U.S. population growth!