Statement from MountainTrue on EPA’s Proposed Rollback of Wetland and Waterway Protections

MountainTrue strongly opposes the newly announced draft rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army that would further narrow the definition of ‘waters of the United States.’ This proposal strips federal safeguards from many rivers, wetlands, and headwater streams that are essential to the health and safety of communities, particularly in the Southern Blue Ridge.

By weakening the Clean Water Act yet again — on top of the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Sackett v. EPA — this rule removes protections from wetlands and small streams that filter pollution, support trout and other sensitive wildlife, and reduce the severity of flooding. In a region still recovering from Hurricane Helene, it is hard to imagine a worse time to undermine the natural systems that protect our homes, supply our drinking water, and power our recreation economy.

Western North Carolina and the Southern Blue Ridge is a headwaters region full of small streams and sensitive wetlands under attack in this proposal. Without wetlands, flood waters have nowhere to go, seeping further into our homes, businesses and built environment. Additionally, small streams provide habitat for sensitive wildlife like endangered mussels and beloved salamanders and supply the drinking water systems we all rely on. 

When federal protections recede, our communities are left more vulnerable. As our recovery from Hurricane Helene continues, it is more important than ever to ensure our natural systems are intact to help protect us from future flood events. MountainTrue and our Riverkeepers will be engaging fully in the public comment process, educating our communities about what is at stake, and working with partners across the state to defend clean water protections.

This is part of a troubling pattern from EPA leadership: rolling back clean water safeguards, weakening protections from toxic pollution and prioritizing corporate interests over public health. These decisions are not abstract — they directly affect the water our families drink, the rivers we fish and paddle, and the wetlands that shield our mountain towns from storm damage.

Clean water is not optional. It is essential to our health, our economy, and our resilience. We will continue fighting for the strong safeguards that every community in Western North Carolina deserves.

We are working with our partners to research these proposed changes and will keep you updated about ways we can fight together for watershed health in the mountain region.