Sierra Club News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 16, 2001 For More Information Contact: Joanie Clayburgh, (415) 977-5508 PRESIDENT BUSH DECIDES NOT TO BLOCK WETLANDS PROTECTIONS President Makes Correct Decision After String of Environmental Attacks Washington, DC -- The Sierra Club today voiced restrained support for the Bush Administration's decision not to block an effort to protect America's wetlands. This action comes after President Bush rejected safety standards to reduce arsenic in drinking water, broke his pledge to curb global warming, indicated opposition to protecting unspoiled National Forests and reversed an effort to make mining companies pay to clean up their pollution. "We support the Bush Administration's decision to not weaken wetlands protections," said Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope. "Recent polls show that Americans oppose President Bush's attacks on clean air and drinking water. Given that Earth Day is coming up, it's nice to see a positive decision in a host of bad environmental news coming from the White House." President Bush let stand a decision by the Clinton Administration limiting a loophole in the Clean Water Act allowing destruction of streams and wetlands. Developers had used the loophole in the Act to destroy an estimated 20,000 acres of wetlands and 150 miles of streams. "Today President Bush simply chose not to stand in the way, but what Americans want is real leadership to make our drinking water safe, protect our beautiful landscapes and curb global warming," continued Pope. "We urge President Bush to move forward and defend wetland protections in court as well." In the 1980s developers drained and destroyed wetlands by exploiting a loophole in the Clean Water Act allowing them to bypass an environmental review by using special equipment that did not redeposit material onto wetlands. 1993, the EPA and US army Corps of Engineers closed this loophole in the Clean Water Act with a new rule, commonly referred to as the Tulloch Rule. In 1998 the DC Circuit Court ruled in favor of the National Mining Association and developers overturning the Tulloch Rule. In January of 2001, the Clinton administration created a different rule requiring a permit to show that a project won't discharge materials into water as regulated by the Clean Water Act. The Bush administration had put a moratorium on implementation of this rule until their decision today to let it stand. Wetlands provide flood protection, homes for a wide array of wildlife, and hunting and fishing opportunities for millions of Americans. Wetlands also filter streams and rivers protecting water quality. The Sierra Club is also calling on Congress to fully close this loophole and strengthen the Clean Water Act to better protect America's wetlands. ### 85 Second Street, Second Floor San Francisco, CA 94105-3441 TEL: [415] 977-5500 FAX: [415] 977-5799 www.sierraclub.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]