In the second half of his presidency, Barack Obama has been flexing his muscles on environmental regulations. The president has proposed regulations that would significantly cut carbon emissions, one of the main contributors to climate change. But the administration isn’t just worried about air pollution and climate change, they’ve also been thinking about water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently finalized a rule that would limit pollution into streams and wetlands that are upstream of major waterways.Farmers, developers, and other industry groups have characterized the rule as a land grab. They say that it could add significant red tape and time delays to their businesses.
Environmentalists say the rule adds much needed protections for Michigan’s waterways and closes loopholes for polluters.
Two weeks ago, we heard from Laura Campbell at the Michigan Farm Bureau about their response to the new rule. Today, Current State speaks with Margi Armstrong, an organizer with Clean Water Action Michigan, about the Waters of the U.S. rule.
This segment is supported by Michigan State University's Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. More news about the Great Lakes environment can be found at GreatLakesEcho.org and on Current State every Tuesday as part of our partnership.
