A coalition of environmental organizations is petitioning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to revoke the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s authority under the Clean Water Act due to concerns over weakened water pollution protections.
Liz McLaughlin reports for WRAL.
In short:
- Environmental groups claim recent state legislation has weakened the NC DEQ’s ability to regulate water pollution.
- The coalition argues this has increased pollution in North Carolina’s waterways, posing public health risks.
- They want the EPA to reclaim oversight to enforce stronger protections against water contamination.
Key quote:
“The unchecked power of the pro-pollution supermajority in our state government has systematically gutted our state agency’s ability to uphold those protections.”
— Emily Sutton, riverkeeper with the Haw River Assembly
Why this matters:
Weakening state environmental regulations can lead to more pollution in waterways, endangering drinking water and ecosystems. Restoring federal oversight could provide stronger protection against harmful pollutants.
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