Communities across the South are calling for clean water after the Supreme Court significantly weakened crucial federal protections in 2023 — and this Trump administration has promised to double down.

Water is truly a way of life in our region. Mark Sabath, Senior Attorney at SELC

This spring, SELC and other stakeholders across the region are urging the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers to uphold protections for wetlands and waterways that benefit our environment, economy, and health.

Without these critical federal safeguards, we could lose what makes our communities so great.

The history

Iconic flora depend on Southern wetlands, like this carnivorous pitcher plant at Splinter Hill Bog Reserve. (Neil Jernigan)

In April and May, EPA and the Army Corps held stakeholder listening sessions as part of a rulemaking process to modify the definition of “waters of the United States,” which determines what waters are protected under the Clean Water Act.

When the agencies announced the federal rulemaking, they signaled their intention to narrow what wetlands and other waters are covered.

After sending a letter on behalf of 73 organizations urging the agencies to maintain protections for waters across the country, SELC joined partners to caution against the weakening of federal clean water protections. After all, wetlands protect our communities from flooding, filter pollutants, provide habitat for wildlife, and drive our economies.

“Water is truly a way of life in our region,” says SELC Senior Attorney Mark Sabath. “This question of the scope of federal clean water protections is not just about having pretty rivers to look at; it is about people’s health, their well-being, and their livelihoods. It’s about the billions of dollars in economic benefit that federal clean water protections provide.”

Meet the advocates standing up for clean water

Matt Gamble (Contributed)

From small business owners and farmers to local government representatives, speakers from across the South make one thing clear: Clean water and wetlands are integral to the health and happiness of all.

Matt Gamble is a kayak tour guide and instructor at Nature Adventures in Charleston, South Carolina. When he takes clients onto the water, he immerses them in the natural treasures that benefit communities and wildlife but also fuel an economy that “brings in just under $24 billion to the state each year.”

Without a strong definition of “waters of the United States,” the wetlands that employ industries along the coasts and in the salt marshes could be decimated by irresponsible development.

Brent Wills (Contributed)

Says Gamble, “As someone whose organization takes kids of all ages for adventures in the outdoors, I want to set an example for children that clean water and healthy ecosystems matter to us, as adults. If we allow wetlands to be destroyed and polluters to be given a pass, we set a poor example for future generations.”

Local farmers who depend on clean water to grow our food are also concerned about the rulemaking.

Brent Wills is a farmer in Bedford County, Virginia, and the program manager of the Virginia Association for Biological Farming. In his comments to the federal agencies, Wills stresses that because farms depend on clean water for healthy crops and livestock, strong clean water protections help — not hurt — farmers.

Tricia Kilgore (Contributed)

Tricia Kilgore, Director of Technology & Innovation for the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority in South Carolina, explains the importance of the Clean Water Act and wetlands for Beaufort and Jasper Counties.

According to Kilgore, clean water and wetlands are not only critical to tourism and the counties’ local economy, but they also, “provide invaluable protection against flooding, especially during extreme weather by storing and absorbing rain water which can inundate our sanitary sewer system and damage or destroy our infrastructure.”

In addition, Kilgore emphasizes the importance of controlling pollution upstream to benefit downstream drinking water sources.

By protecting our drinking water source, the Clean Water Act protects our public health. Tricia Kilgore, Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority

Looking forward

We know that clean water is essential to our way of life in the South and across the nation. That’s why we’ll continue to fight alongside partners to advocate for federal clean water protections that keep our communities safe.