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Stop The Mass Destruction Of America’s Wetlands

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Sponsor: The Rainforest Site

The EPA’s plan to erase protections from most U.S. wetlands threatens drinking water, wildlife, and community safety, and we must act now to stop this sweeping rollback before the damage becomes irreversible.

Stop The Mass Destruction Of America’s Wetlands

A sweeping proposal from the Trump Administration would strip federal safeguards from more than 80% of the nation’s wetlands, leaving millions of acres newly vulnerable to pollution, dredging and destruction1. These wetlands filter drinking water, slow dangerous floods and support critical wildlife. Removing their protections puts communities in the path of avoidable harm.

The new definition of “waters of the United States” would protect only wetlands with a continuous, “relatively permanent” connection to larger rivers or lakes1. Ephemeral streams that flow after storms and seasonal wetlands that recharge groundwater would lose federal oversight entirely2. Scientists warn that these small waterways act as the veins of whole river systems, feeding reservoirs and shaping the health of ecosystems downstream.

Federal analysis shows the consequences would be dramatic: only 19 percent of mapped wetlands in the lower 48 states would remain covered under the Clean Water Act3. In several western states, more than 90% of waters could lose safeguards altogether. These are not fringe landscapes or isolated puddles. They are the foundation of clean water in rural towns, farming regions, suburbs and major cities.

Communities Will Pay the Price

When wetlands lose protection, pollution moves freely. Contaminants travel across borders and into drinking water sources. Floodwaters rise faster. Taxpayers shoulder higher treatment costs. The EPA’s proposal would hand responsibility to states that lack the resources or authority to regulate pollution at the scale required4. Roughly half of states have few protections beyond federal law.

Wildlife would face staggering losses. Dozens of endangered species rely on wetlands and seasonal waters for survival—habitats that the proposal leaves exposed to development and destruction5. Once these systems disappear, no rule can bring them back.

We Cannot Look Away

The Clean Water Act was created to protect the waters that every community depends on. Rolling back protections from most of the country’s wetlands undermines that purpose. Our drinking water, our safety and our environment hinge on what happens next.

Sign the petition now to stop this proposal and defend the wetlands that protect us all.

MORE ON THIS ISSUE:

  1. Maxine Joselow, The New York Times (17 Nov 2025), “E.P.A. Drastically Limits Protections for Wetlands.”
  2. Rachel Frazin, The Hill (17 Nov 2025), “Trump proposes to narrow water regulations.”
  3. E&E News / Politico Pro (17 Nov 2025), “Trump plan waives protection at 80% of wetlands.”
  4. Aidan Hughes, Inside Climate News (17 Nov 2025), “Trump Administration Moves to Weaken Federal Protections for Waterways and Wetlands.”
  5. Center for Biological Diversity (23 Jan 2020), “Trump Administration Slashes Protections for Millions of Acres of Streams, Wetlands.”

The Petition

To the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

We, the undersigned, urgently call on the Environmental Protection Agency to halt the proposed rule that would remove federal protections from more than 80% of the nation’s wetlands. This action would abandon millions of acres of vital ecosystems that shield communities, safeguard public health, and support wildlife across the country.

Wetlands are not expendable. They are among the most effective natural defenses we have against extreme weather, flooding, and drought. They capture and store stormwater, slowing the force of floods and reducing the devastation that follows. They filter contaminants before they reach rivers and reservoirs, protecting drinking water sources for tens of millions of Americans. They anchor migration routes and serve as nurseries for fish, amphibians, birds, and countless other species that depend on seasonal and rain-fed waters to survive.

The proposed rule would exclude ephemeral streams, intermittent waterways, and wetlands that do not maintain a continuous surface connection with larger water bodies. But these smaller systems are the capillaries of our national water network. They feed major rivers, recharge groundwater, and act as ecological corridors. Removing their protections invites pollution, unregulated development, and irreversible habitat loss.

Without federal oversight, states that lack strong water protection laws—or the funding to enforce them—will be left with gaps wide enough for widespread contamination. Pollution travels downstream, regardless of borders, and no community is insulated from the consequences of weakened safeguards. As protections erode, the burden shifts to local governments and taxpayers who will face rising water treatment costs, heightened flood damage, and shrinking natural resources.

We recognize the importance of clear regulations for landowners, farmers, and developers. But clarity must not come at the expense of clean drinking water, functional ecosystems, or the long-term resilience of America’s landscapes. The Clean Water Act was designed to protect waterways precisely because their value reaches beyond individual parcels of land. Weakening these protections would undo decades of progress and jeopardize the health and security of future generations.

We urge the EPA to withdraw this proposal immediately and uphold comprehensive federal protections for wetlands and streams. These ecosystems are irreplaceable, and their preservation is a duty owed to every community that depends on clean water and a stable environment.

Protecting wetlands today ensures a healthier, safer, and more sustainable future for all.

Sincerely,

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