Abolish the EPA? A One-Way Ticket To Toxic Air, Poisoned Water

Konoplytska via Getty Images Imagine turning on the faucet in your house, and knowing that you couldn’t drink from the taps because the water was contaminated by lead. Last year, that was the reality for the families of Flint, Mich. — a tragedy that reminded us that we can never take clean water or a healthy environment for granted. Now imagine that there was no federal response to this tragedy. That there were no rules protecting your drinking water, and that you were left on your own to fight against polluters and the failure of state or local politicians to protect water quality and the health of your family. That disturbing scenario will be reality for all Americans if House Republicans have their way. This week, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) proposed legislation to abolish the Environmental Protection Agency, which is tasked with enforcing the federal laws that keep our air and our water clean. President Donald Trump and Republicans have made the EPA a political punching bag, so it’s important to set the record straight on what the agency really does. At its core, the EPA safeguards the public health of the American people. In the late 1960s, before the EPA was formed, air quality was so poor that toxic smog permeated the skylines of most American cities. Water was so polluted that rivers like the Cuyahoga in Cleveland actually caught on fire. This pervasive pollution caused serious health problems for many Americans. In 1970, a Republican President and a bipartisan coalition in Congress created the EPA to enforce environmental protection laws. The EPA’s success has been extraordinary. Since 1970, emissions of the six most common air pollutants have fallen by 70 percent. Likewise, our water is cleaner and rivers and lakes that were once entirely off limits to people are now safe for swimming and fishing. Neighborhoods across the country are also seeing progress from the EPA’s support for clean up of Superfund sites and brownfields. The EPA works with communities to address areas where toxic messes have been left behind, safeguarding public health and — in many cases — turning over cleaned-up sites to local communities for economic development opportunities. More than just preventing pollution, however, we have to work to improve environmental quality in the first place. That’s why the EPA works proactively to build healthier and safer communities. The EPA’s revolving funds provide hundreds of millions of dollars each year for local projects that improve water quality and ensure that citizens have access to clean drinking water. Projects funded by the EPA include upgrades to water treatment systems, replacement of old pipes, and enhancements to the quality of water supplies. This proactive protection of our environment is the envy of countries like China, where citizens choke on toxic smog and drink from polluted rivers. Sadly, President Trump and Congressional Republicans have eagerly bought in to polluters’ arguments that protecting our environment and public health is too burdensome for business. They have listened to climate deniers who […]

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