Monday October 21, 2024
Los Angeles Waterkeeper —
In 1969, Ohio’s Cuyahoga River caught fire. After years of unchecked industrial dumping, the river had become so polluted with oil, chemicals, and waste that a stray ember from a passing train ignited its surface, sparking public outrage along with it.
In response, Congress worked to pass the Clean Water Act (CWA), establishing a landmark law designed to regulate pollutants, set water quality standards, and enforce penalties against those responsible for pollution.
Over the past 52 years, the CWA has done a lot to safeguard our nation’s waterways. However, today’s environmental landscape is far more complicated than it was in 1972.
Emerging pollutants, like PFAS and microplastics, are adding unforeseen layers of ambiguity, while industrial stormwater pollution remains a persistent problem.
Recent U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decisions have further restricted the Act’s scope, making it even more difficult to hold polluters accountable.