Environmental Law Blog Missouri Joins 8 States in Suing EPA
Missouri has joined eight other states in suing the
Environmental Protection Agency because they believe EPA created
a loophole in the federal Clean Water Act that threatens
waterways and drinking water. This new loophole also threatens
the Missouri River by making it easier for upstream states to
divert water outside the Missouri River basin. Any water that is
pumped outside the Missouri River basin in upstream states will
never flow through Missouri. More than half of all Missourians
rely on the River for drinking water. EPA's "Water Transfer
Rule" exempts the transfer of polluted water from one body of
water to another. Formerly, a permit was requried for such
transfers. Under the new rule, an entire class of water
polluters will be exempt from Clean Water Act permitting
requirements. The new rule allows contaminants to be dumped into
drinking water sources, lakes and streams by water transfer
operations--without any permit or regulatory oversight