November 7, 2014
Contact:
(Washington, DC) – Following the end of the comment period last week, a coalition of environmental groups including the League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Council, Clean Water Action, Environment America, Southern Environmental Law Center, Sierra Club and American Rivers announced today that they’ve collected more than 800,000 comments in support of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Clean Water Rule. The rule clarifies Clean Water Act protections for small streams and wetlands.
“The tremendous number of Americans concerned about clean water and supporting the new rule should come as no surprise,” said Gary Belan, Senior Director of Clean Water Supply at American Rivers. “Several high-profile pollution events in the past year have raised concerns about the quality of our rivers and our drinking water. Clean water is on all of our minds. A strong, common-sense Clean Water Rule is vital to ensure healthy rivers and streams that are essential to all of us.”
“This is truly monumental. Americans across the country support this rule because they understand the importance of protecting the waterways that impact the drinking water of 117 million Americans and serve as crucial habitat for wildlife. Support for this rule is a wakeup call to polluters and their allies in Congress: Americans are demanding clean water now and for all future generations,” said Madeleine Foote, LCV legislative representative.
“The range of backers of this rule–from public health professionals to commercial fishing groups to craft brewers to outdoorsmen–demonstrates that support is as broad as it is deep,” said Jon Devine, a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
“The massive support for the Administration’s proposal isn’t a surprise,” said Jennifer Peters, Clean Water Action’s National Water Campaigns Coordinator. “Americans know how important it is to put drinking water first and want to see the strongest possible protections for our streams and wetlands and will fight back against any polluter friendly efforts to weaken these common sense safeguards for our water.”
“Our waters are where we fish, boat, and swim,” said Ally Fields, Clean Water Advocate for Environment America. “This show of public support is just one more reason we should be doing everything we can to protect our rivers and streams.”
“As the most significant federal rulemaking on water protections in three decades, this rule is critical and long overdue for communities, industries and ecosystems that depend on clean water,” said Bill Sapp, senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center. “Clarifying and enforcing protections will help to ensure that our citizens have access to clean drinking water, and that our region’s streams, lakes and rivers remain healthy.”
“The sheer number of people who have raised their voices shows how important clean water is across the United States. Our wetlands, lakes, and streams provide essential and economically valuable services, from protecting our communities from floods to providing clean drinking water. Now that hundreds of thousands of citizens have voiced their support, we call on the Administration to finalize these clear and concise safeguards to clarify which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act,” said Dalal Aboulhosn, Senior Washington Representative at Sierra Club.
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
October 24, 2014
Contact:
(Washington, DC) – American Rivers President Bob Irvin will join the “Disappearing Rio Grande” Expedition in Big Bend National Park on Monday to draw attention to the importance of the river and the impact climate change is having on rivers and water resources across the West.
The Disappearing Rio Grande Expedition is highlighting how drought and water overuse are affecting the river. The trip retraces the 1977 National Geographic and Dartmouth College-sponsored expedition that was the first to navigate the entire 1,888-mile Rio Grande. The current expedition began in July, with reporter Colin McDonald and photographer Erich Schlegel blogging daily via satellite for The Texas Tribune.
American Rivers named the Rio Grande (called the Rio Bravo in Mexico) among America’s Most Endangered Rivers® in 1993, 1994, 2000, and 2003 because of overuse and outdated water management. Last year, the Bureau of Reclamation released a report looking at the impact of climate change on the upper Rio Grande. The report found that the basin will likely see decreased snowpack and more frequent and intense floods and droughts.
American Rivers called on water managers to embrace increased water efficiency, conservation, and reuse as the fastest and most reliable, flexible, and cost-effective water supply solutions on the Rio Grande and on other rivers facing the impacts of climate change.
“The Rio Grande is woven into our nation’s history and heritage. It is a lifeline of the Southwest, irrigating crops, quenching the thirst of communities, and supporting imperiled fish and wildlife. The river is also a prime example of the consequences we face when outdated water management collides with climate change,” said Bob Irvin, President of American Rivers. “We must embrace new water supply solutions on the Rio Grande. Not only do water conservation, efficiency, and reuse make economic sense, these solutions will ensure we leave a healthier river for future generations.”
“We kayaked the length of the Rio Grande in a very different time, when water was more plentiful, and cities and farmers less thirsty,” said Dan Reicher, a member of the 1977 National Geographic and Dartmouth College-sponsored expedition and a member of the American Rivers Board of Directors. Bob Irvin will join Reicher and Fred St Goar, fellow American Rivers Board Member and Dartmouth graduate on the Wild and Scenic portion of the river, through Big Bend National Park. “This trip is shining the spotlight on a river that simply isn’t receiving the attention it deserves. We hope to capture national attention, spur dialogue, and inspire solutions for the river and its communities,” Reicher said.
U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), also a member of the 1977 expedition, will join the current expedition via Skype in the Big Bend canyons for a conversation with trip members. Senator Portman has a kayak from the original six-month expedition hanging on the wall of his Senate office.
From its headwaters in the mountains of southern Colorado, the Rio Grande flows through 1,888 miles of the arid Southwest and much of America’s national mythology. On its way to the Gulf of Mexico at Brownsville, Texas, the Rio Grande drains eleven percent of the continental United States. Despite its name – Spanish for “Great River” – the Rio Grande averages only about one-fifth the flow of its neighbor, the Colorado River, and experiences more frequent droughts. Will Rogers once called the Rio Grande “the only river I know that is in need of irrigation.” Often the entire flow of the Rio Grande is diverted for municipal and agricultural use, leaving parts of the river completely dry. In many years, the river fails to reach its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico.
To learn more or follow the “Disappearing Rio Grande” Expedition visit: riogrande.texastribune.org or the Facebook page.
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
October 24, 2014
Contact:
(Washington, DC) – The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission late last week revoked the operating license of Eastern Hydroelectric Corporation for the East Juliette hydropower dam located on the Ocmulgee River, but failed to require dam removal as recommended by American Rivers and Altamaha Riverkeeper. American Rivers urged federal fisheries managers and the state to act swiftly to address the dam’s impacts and restore the river’s fisheries.
The East Juliette dam is old and outdated, and does not have fish passage facilities necessary to support robust redhorse, American shad, and native fish populations. American Rivers called on the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the state to ensure fish now blocked by the structure can move upstream to historic habitat either by fish passage or removal of the dam.
Part of Georgia’s largest river system, the Ocmulgee River drains portions of Metro Atlanta and flows through Macon and the heart of central Georgia. It merges with the Oconee River to form the Altamaha River, known as “Georgia’s Little Amazon,” before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. The Ocmulgee is a gently flowing river known for its generally undisturbed landscape and exceptional fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. The world record largemouth bass was caught in 1932 in Lake Montgomery, a natural oxbow lake of the Ocmulgee River. There are no dams on the Ocmulgee River or the Altamaha River below Juliette, meaning the river system is free-flowing from the Piedmont to the Georgia coast.
“FERC did the right thing in revoking this dam’s operating license. The owner was not meeting environmental standards, and it sends an important message to dam owners across the region and nation,” said Gerrit Jobsis, Southeast regional director for American Rivers. “Rivers are public resources and dam owners have a responsibility to operate their dams consistent with the law.”
“Unfortunately, FERC did not go far enough to address the impact of this hydropower dam. Now it is time for the dam owner to work with the National Marine Fisheries Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the state to undo the damage to native fish populations by removing this harmful and outdated structure.”
Dam removal is the most cost-effective solution for restoring fish passage on this stretch of river. Dam removal has multiple benefits including restoring river and floodplain habitat, improving water quality, eliminating public safety hazards at the dam, and improving fishing, boating, and river recreation.
One example of how removing dams can provide multiple benefits to fish, recreation, and surrounding communities is on the Chattahoochee River near Columbus, Georgia and Phenix City, Alabama. The removal of a pair of dams, completed earlier this decade, restored fish migrations and was central to the highly successful downtown redevelopment of these cities and a thriving local recreational economy centered on the river.
“We applaud FERC’s decision to revoke the operating license but maintain that the licensee needs to be held accountable for the full decommissioning of those project works owned by Eastern Hydroelectric Corporation, and we will continue to work towards that end,” stated Brian Lucy, Altamaha Riverkeeper & CEO.
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
October 7, 2014
Contact:
(Seattle, WA) – The National Marine Fisheries Service today released its official report, known as a biological opinion, on the Army Corps of Engineers’ Buckley Dam. The report lays out a path for bringing the outdated 70 year-old facility on Washington’s White River into compliance with the Endangered Species Act.
The report calls for repairing the dam and modernizing and enlarging its fish passage system by no later than 2020. Currently, the dilapidated dam impales salmon on exposed rebar, attracts them to impassable parts of the dam, and uses a fish passage system much too small for the number of fish that need to use it. These problems kill thousands of salmon – including threatened Puget Sound Chinook — every year. The problem is especially severe during the large pink salmon runs that occur in odd-numbered years.
American Rivers, which filed suit to spur the Corps to fix the dam, called the report a vital first step.
“The Buckley Dam is outdated and its fish passage system inadequate, undermining Puget Sound salmon recovery efforts,” said Michael Garrity, Washington Conservation Director for American Rivers. “This is a good first step toward fixing the massive fish passage problems on the White River.”
American Rivers and area tribes have been campaigning for years for repairs and improvements to the dam to prevent the annual fish kills. American Rivers named the White River one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2014 because of the damage caused by the dam.
“The biological opinion says that saving threatened Puget Sound Chinook requires a robust, state-of-the-art fish collection and sorting facility to be completed at Buckley Dam by no later than 2020,” said Garrity. “The trick is getting there on time. We will be both a watchdog and a partner to ensure the Corps stays on schedule and does right by listed- and non-listed salmon runs and local tribes, fishermen and communities.”
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
September 30, 2014
Contact:
(Washington, DC) – Upon her departure from the Department of the Interior, American Rivers today thanked Assistant Secretary Anne Castle for her dedication to protecting the health of the nation’s rivers.
The President of American Rivers, Bob Irvin, made the following statement:
“As Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, Anne Castle has been a dedicated public servant and a champion for healthy rivers and clean water supplies.”
“Anne Castle’s support for restoring and protecting rivers, and her leadership in spearheading solutions to severe drought and water scarcity challenges in places such as the Colorado River Basin, Yakima River Basin, and rivers throughout California, will pay dividends for local communities.”
“We wish her well in her future endeavors and offer profound thanks for her dedication to improving the health of the nation’s rivers and building broad support for bold solutions. We look forward to working with the next Assistant Secretary to continue this important work for our rivers and communities.”
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
September 19, 2014
Contact:
(Washington, DC) – “American Rivers commends Rep. Steve Daines for introducing legislation to permanently protect East Rosebud Creek as a Wild and Scenic River. It’s what local residents have long wanted, and it’s what this spectacular waterway deserves. By designating East Rosebud Creek as Montana’s first new Wild and Scenic River since 1976, it will forever remain clean and free-flowing and local residents will never again have to fight off proposals to dam it. Now that all three members of Montana’s congressional delegation from both major parties support Wild and Scenic designation for East Rosebud Creek, there’s a real shot it could happen this year.”
“While we’re excited about the prospect of East Rosebud Creek being protected as a Wild and Scenic River, we look forward to working with Rep. Daines to clean up some problematic language in the bill that would set a precedent for allowing incompatible activities adjacent to Wild and Scenic Rivers everywhere. We also look forward to engaging Rep. Daines and the rest of Montana’s congressional delegation in a broader conversation about protecting other rivers in the state that are equally deserving.”
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
August 25, 2014
Contact:
(Seattle, WA) – With the final blasts scheduled to remove the remaining 35 feet of Glines Canyon Dam in the coming weeks, the nation’s biggest dam removal project on Washington’s Elwha River is nearing completion. The river restoration effort, which kicked off in 2011, is surpassing expectations and showing great progress, from fish returning, to native plants reclaiming riverbanks, to sand rebuilding the beach at the river’s mouth.
“The story of the Elwha is: We can do it. We can overcome a century of harm. We can work together. We can restore a river. We can show our grandchildren what commitment, responsibility, and stewardship look like. We can be the beneficiaries of an abundance of riches that flow from a river that runs free,” said Bob Irvin, President of American Rivers.
“The Elwha provides the most high-profile proof that dam removal works. On the Elwha, we are witnessing on a grand scale that rivers are ready to come back to life if we just give them a chance.”
“The Elwha is symbolic of our new relationship with rivers. We have the knowledge and tools to restore our rivers, to realize all of the economic, social, and environmental benefits of healthy, free-flowing rivers. Communities nationwide are coming together to remove outdated, unsafe dams and restore river health,” said Irvin.
The Elwha River’s revival has been underway since Elwha Dam was removed in March 2012. Salmon have returned, swimming up past the old Elwha Dam site. This summer, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has counted 1,600 Elwha fall chinook. The salmon runs are strengthening the entire web of life, providing food for a host of wildlife including bear, cougar, bobcat, mink, and otter. Thanks to dam removal and river restoration, Elwha fish populations are expected to reach 400,000 over the next 20 to 30 years. Volunteers have planted native grasses, shrubs and trees to jumpstart the restoration of land exposed by the drained reservoirs. Sediment blocked in the reservoirs behind the dams has moved downstream, creating habitat and restoring the beach at the river’s mouth.
Glines Canyon Dam, once towering 210 feet tall, is the largest dam ever removed. Once crews finish blasting, the Elwha River will flow freely from the mountain wilderness of Olympic National Park to the sea. Removing both dams will open up 70 miles of habitat for salmon.
Many people and groups, led by the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, have worked for decades to restore the Elwha. American Rivers advocated for dam removal on the Elwha for more than 25 years, intervening in the dam relicensing proceedings in the 1980’s, and challenging the relicensing of a dam in a national park. American Rivers also helped push the 1992 legislation that authorized dam removal and helped secure federal funding for the Elwha River restoration project. More than 1,100 dams have been removed nationwide, with benefits for river health and clean water, fish and wildlife, public safety, recreation, and local economies.
Dam removal resources:
- National map: www.americanrivers.org/damremovalmap
- Latest statistics: http://www.americanrivers.org/initiative/dams/projects/2013-dam-removals/
- Dam removal background, resources, and successes: http://www.americanrivers.org/blog/american-rivers-damnation-film-guide/
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
In the wake of Toledo’s drinking water crisis, American Rivers announced that Katie Rousseau, Director of Clean Water Supply for the Great Lakes Region, is available for media interviews to discuss clean water supply solutions. American Rivers is a national non-profit river conservation organization working to protect healthy rivers, restore damaged rivers, and conserve clean water.
Based in Toledo, Katie Rousseau helps urban communities better manage polluted runoff to safeguard water quality in local streams and lakes.
See Katie’s bio and recent blog posts.
Katie can meet reporters at local rain gardens, which American Rivers has helped create to filter and absorb polluted runoff. Rain gardens provide an appealing visual for cameras, and provide a tangible example of how communities can take action to improve clean water supplies.
American Rivers plays a lead role in protecting clean water and rivers in the Great Lakes region. Our report “Catching the Rain” identified solutions for protecting clean water. We have leveraged our research into community based demonstration projects in Toledo, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Chicago and Milwaukee.
- Read “Catching the Rain”
August 1, 2014
Contact:
(Raleigh, NC) – American Rivers today applauded the North Carolina state legislature for passing SB 163, a bill that expands community water supplies by allowing the use of reclaimed water. Reclaimed water is purified waste water that can be recycled through the water supply system. Modern water systems are able to clean waste water, restoring it to a resource that can be reused. The use of reclaimed water reduces the need for additional water withdrawals from rivers and lakes. Outdated policies previously prohibited this common sense water supply solution.
Peter Raabe, North Carolina Conservation Director for American Rivers, made the following statement:
“We applaud Speaker Thom Tillis, Rep. Andy Wells, Sen. Fletcher Harstell and Sen. Brent Jackson for their leadership toward securing reliable and cost-effective clean water supplies for our state, while protecting the health of our rivers and streams. This bill allows for the expansion of community water supplies without building costly and damaging new dams. We should all be proud that North Carolina is leading the way on innovative solutions to environmentally protective water supply options.”
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
July 31, 2014
Contact:
(Raleigh, NC) – North Carolina is plagued by polluted stormwater flushing into its streams and rivers. One of the biggest sources of this pollution is land that was heavily developed with little regard for the potential adverse impacts that run-off could have on the water quality. Now, communities across the state are looking for solutions such as rain gardens, cisterns, and other practices that filter and infiltrate water through natural processes to protect clean water and restore the streams, rivers, and lakes.
“The leadership of Rep. Tom Murry with support of Sen. Tamara Barringer in the budget process has put the state of North Carolina on the path of restoring clean water to our polluted rivers and streams,” said Peter Raabe, American Rivers’ North Carolina Conservation Director. “The budget includes $500,000 to support local communities’ efforts to reduce polluted runoff before it impacts the drinking water supplies of the state.”
The funding is only available to clean up stormwater pollution from rivers and streams that have an approved Nutrient Management Strategy such as rivers feeding Jordan Lake Reservoir and Falls Lake Reservoir. This funding is a victory for the Haw River which American Rivers listed in the 2014 America’s Most Endangered Rivers report as the 9th Most Endangered River in the nation due to polluted runoff.
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
July 31, 2014
Contact:
(Washington, DC) – Today, the House Natural Resources Committee passed by voice vote a handful of public lands bills including the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act (H.R. 361). The committee action marks the next step in a bill’s road to becoming law. Last year, legislation introduced by Congressman Dave Reichert (R-WA08) and Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA01) received a House hearing and identical legislation introduced by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) passed the full Senate.
“We are happy to see that this important bill passed the House Committee for the first time in four years under the sustained leadership of Congressman Reichert.” said Tom Uniack, Conservation Director for Washington Wild. “However, the proposed deletion of low-elevation mature forests along the Pratt Connector Trail is a great concern. These lands are worthy of wilderness designation.”
During the Committee mark up, the bill was amended including two boundary adjustments. The most controversial of these is a deletion of hundreds of acres of low-elevation forest land between the recently constructed Pratt Connector Trail and the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River. Local advocates view these acres as critical to the ecological integrity of the Pratt Valley Wilderness proposal as a safeguard from new mining claims and to protect riparian values. Additional language was added to the bill relating to military overflights, wildfire and buffer areas that proponents of the bill deem unnecessary.
“The legislation introduced by Representatives Reichert and DelBene and Senator Murray is the product of more than five years of input and revisions from local stakeholders resulting in more than 300 elected officials, local businesses, sportsmen and other supporters endorsing the bill,” said Ben Greuel, Washington State Director of The Wilderness Society.” The amended bill language is unnecessary and counterproductive and we will work hard to make sure that ultimately the original version will reach the President’s desk.”
Additional bill language added that puts additional hurdles in front of the designation and management of the two Wild and Scenic Rivers designations was met with strong concerns from conservation and river groups.
“Senator Murray and Representatives Reichert and DelBene’s vision to protect two of Puget Sound’s best rivers, the Middle Fork Snoqualmie and Pratt Rivers, on behalf of local communities and outdoor businesses is one step closer to reality today,” said Wendy McDermott, Associate Director of Washington Conservation Programs for American Rivers. “Unfortunately, the House Committee made changes to the bill that don’t reflect the locally crafted efforts of Washingtonians and that weaken protections for clean water and salmon. We urge Congress to drop these onerous provisions.”
After significant outreach to local stakeholders, the legislation was carefully crafted by Congressman Reichert and Senator Murray resulting in strong local support. The bill has garnered endorsements from more than 70 local elected officials, more than 100 outdoor local businesses in the Snoqualmie River Valley and leading members of the outdoor industry, and nearly 150 conservation, recreation, hunting and fishing and religious leaders.
“Congressman Reichert is continuing the work that was started with the original Alpine Lakes Wilderness designation in 1976,” said Donald Parks of the Alpine Lakes Protection Society. “This bill would protect rare low-elevation old-growth and mature forests, fish habitat, and multi-season recreational opportunities and preserve some of Washington’s most treasured wildlands.”
The legislation would protect an additional 22,000 acres of wilderness adjoining the existing Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, and would add 10 miles of the Pratt River and nearly 30 miles of the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River to the National Wild and Scenic River System.
A coalition of conservation and recreation organizations has worked for more than seven years to advocate for this legislation. Those organizations include Alpine Lakes Protection Society, American Rivers, American Whitewater, Middle Fork Coalition, North Cascades Conservation Council, The Mountaineers, The Wilderness Society, Washington Chapter of the Sierra Club, Washington Trails Association and Washington Wild.
BACKGROUND:
Originally designated in 1976, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area has since become one of the most popular wilderness areas in the country. The legislation would add an additional 22,000 acres to the existing wilderness area.
The proposed Wilderness additions are comprised of low-elevation forests whose robust wildlife populations include cougars, black bears, bobcats, elk, deer, and trout. The inclusion of low-elevation land will conserve diverse ecosystems, add to the biodiversity of the wilderness area, and protect recreation opportunities such as hiking, backpacking, climbing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
Washington State has only 200 miles of rivers designated under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act – far less than neighboring Oregon which boasts 2,000 miles. This legislation would designate the first wild and scenic river designations in the central Cascades, targeting the Middle Fork Snoqualmie and Pratt Rivers. These rivers are home to world-class fishing, kayaking, and whitewater rafting. Their protection under the National Wild and Scenic River System safeguards high water quality for downstream residents and preserves critical wildlife habitat. These rivers will be protected as free-flowing streams that are within easy reach of a major urban center, providing residents of the Seattle area with increased access to water-based recreation.
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
July 21, 2014
Contact:
(Atlanta, GA) – The Georgia Court of Appeals sided with conservation groups yesterday and ruled that all state waters are protected under Georgia law by a 25-foot vegetative buffer. The decision overrules the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s (EPD) policy that only some state waters are protected by the Erosion and Sedimentation Act’s buffer provision, and also invalidates EPD Director Judson Turner’s April 2014 memorandum that stripped the protective buffer from the Georgia Coast.
“In its decision, the Court holds that the General Assembly always intended that the buffer provision would extend to and protect all state waters,” said Bill Sapp with the Southern Environmental Law Center. “As a result, under the ruling, EPD will no longer be able to take a piecemeal approach to buffer protection—requiring a buffer on some waters and denying it on others.”
“Our marshes and freshwater wetlands are home to the shrimp, oysters, fish, and game that fuel Georgia’s hunting, fishing, and tourism industries,” Sapp continued. “As the Court recognizes, the buffer provision plays a critical role in protecting these vital resources.”
The Southern Environmental Law Center filed the case on behalf of American Rivers and the Georgia River Network in 2012 after EPD failed to require Grady County to obtain a variance for impacting freshwater wetland buffers in its bid to build a 960-acre fishing lake on Tired Creek near Cairo, Georgia. After EPD neglected to correct its oversight, the groups filed a successful appeal with the Office of State Administrative Hearings to rectify the agency’s failure to require a buffer variance for impacts to buffers along wetlands on the site.
Judge Kristin Miller ruled in favor of the conservation groups in 2013, finding that the “Erosion and Sedimentation Act mandates a buffer for ‘all state waters.’” After the decision was overturned in the Georgia Superior Court, the groups appealed the case and received a favorable ruling yesterday in the Georgia Court of Appeals.
“We are pleased that the Court of Appeals recognizes that all state waters – including wetlands – are important and deserve protective buffers,” said Chris Manganiello, policy director of the Georgia River Network. “Georgia’s waters are all connected and we need buffers on all state waters to ensure downstream property owners, communities, fish, wildlife and clean drinking water are protected.”
Under the law, a buffer is defined as a strip of trees and plants along a stream or wetland that naturally filters out dirt and pollution from rain water runoff before it enters rivers, streams, wetlands, and marshes. Without protective buffers, Georgia waters are at risk of becoming clogged with mud and sediment pollution.
Under the Court of Appeal’s decision, Grady County will have to place its lake project on hold and reapply for a buffer variance from EPD that accounts for the impacts to buffers along hundreds of acres of freshwater wetlands on the site of the proposed lake.
The decision also reinstates buffer protections on the Georgia Coast that were recently removed by EPD. In a memorandum EPD issued on Earth Day, Director Turner reversed EPD’s decade-long policy of requiring buffers on all coastal marshlands. Enforcement of the buffer on Georgia’s coastal marshlands is critical in preserving rare and pristine wetlands and marsh in the region from pollutant-contaminated runoff from roofs, driveways, and roads, which can adversely impact and even destroy large sections of marshlands.
“We welcome the court’s decision affirming the consistent, clear, common sense application of environmental protections across the State,” said Jenny Hoffner of American Rivers. “Having these common-sense safeguards for all our waterways ensures that the lifeblood of our communities, our clean water, is protected for generations to come.”
About Southern Environmental Law Center
The Southern Environmental Law Center is a regional nonprofit using the power of the law to protect the health and environment of the Southeast (Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama). Founded in 1986, SELC’s team of nearly 60 legal and policy experts represent more than 100 partner groups on issues of climate change and energy, air and water quality, forests, the coast and wetlands, transportation, and land use. www.SouthernEnvironment.org
About Georgia River Network
Georgia River Network is a statewide river conservation organization that works to ensure a clean water legacy by engaging and empowering Georgians to protect, restore, and enjoy our rivers from the mountains to the coast. http://www.garivers.org/
About American Rivers
American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.
Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.
