Boaters to Benefit from the New Clean Water Rule

Whether you are a paddler who spends your days on the river, a climber taking a break to dip your toes in a stream, or a mountain biker taking a drink out of her water bottle, we all rely on access to clean water to stay healthy when we're outside.

Today, the U.S. EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers released the new Clean Water Rule. The rule reaffirms how the Clean Water Act protects water quality on our nation’s rivers, headwater streams, and wetlands. The new rule is vital for protecting river recreation, stream habitat, drinking water, riparian property, and significant economic activity from the impacts of unregulated pollution.

This is a great day for rivers and all of us who paddle!

For boaters, we expect the new rule to maintain the water quality that you are accustomed to experiencing on your favorite rivers. The rule brings about long-awaited clarifications for protecting headwater streams and wetlands under the Clean Water Act, and the process for developing the rule was solid. The EPA and Army Corps did an extensive amount of scientific and legal review in developing the rule and undertook an unprecedented amount of public outreach. 

Unfortunately, some members of Congress are already trying to undercut this important rulemaking. Outdoor Alliance supports the rule, and, along with American Whitewater and American Canoe Association, we encourage you to tell your political leaders why clean water is important to you.  They may not understand how much water you gulp when you crash into a wave, how joyous your child's first canoe trip was, or how you have changed your life to live and work near clean flowing rivers.  Please consider sharing your story about why clean rivers matter to you.

We've made it easy to Take Action today.    

You can also use social media to thank the @EPA for protecting the safety of our river water.  #CleanWaterRules