Environment Virginia’s Chris Brown is joined by guest speakers Alexandria Mayor William Euille, state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30), Clean Water Action representative Andrew Fellows along with members of Environment Virginia’s staff in front of the Potomac River at Founders Park in Old Town. Photo Contributed.
A group of citizens met in Founders Park on June 19 to advocate for the closure of loopholes in the Clean Water Act. At the event was Mayor William Euille as well as state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30). They were joined by Clean Water Action representative Andrew Fellows and Environment Virginia field manager Chris Brown. The speakers spoke regarding water pollution in Virginia and the actions needed to help stem the growing problem. The event also coincided with the release of Environment Virginia’s 2014 Wasting our Waterways Report.
The report was issued as the Environmental Protection Agency considers a new rule to restore Clean Water Act protections to thousands of waterways in Virginia and across the nation.
Industrial facilities dumped 11,821,961 pounds of toxic chemicals into Virginia’s waterways in 2014, making Virginia’s waterways the 5th worst in the nation, according to the new report.
The Environment Virginia report on toxic pollutants discharged to America’s water is based on data reported by polluting facilities to the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory for 2012, the most recent data available.