Sixteen Democratic senators are criticizing a Trump administration proposal to exclude millions of acres of wetlands and streams from federal protections, describing the effort in a letter Wednesday as a threat to “public and environmental health.”
The senators called on the administration to withdraw its plan to narrow the definition of “waters of the U.S.” under the Clean Water Act. If finalized, the changes would exempt more waters and wetlands from the law than at any point in decades, which the senators said would allow “more harmful chemicals into our waterways.”
“We urge you to abandon this rulemaking and refocus your efforts on making Americans healthier,” the letter said.
It’s the first coordinated effort by Democrats to push back on the proposal that EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers released in November. Republicans have praised the draft rule, saying it would benefit farmers and landowners and speed up infrastructure development.
