Making a difference: Anti-EPA riders stopped in U.S. Senate

Thanks to everyone who took quick action in response to our action alert Monday about anti-clean water amendments in the U.S. Senate. We're happy to report that many of the worst amendments - including one by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul that would have gutted the Clean Water Act, and two by West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin that would have crippled EPA's efforts to protect the public from the worst effects of mountaintop removal - were not voted on. This went down to the final minutes as Senate leaders negotiated which amendments would receive a vote.

Check out our action page to learn more about the proposed amendments

Our calls made a difference!

The Senate did vote on an amendment similar to the one pushed by Sen. Paul (#868 sponsored by Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming), designed to limit Clean Water Act protections to 59 percent of U.S. streams and millions of acres of wetlands. That amendment needed 60 votes to pass but got only 52, with Paul and Sen. Mitch McConnell voting in favor.

These issues are likely to resurface in the future, as anti-EPA senators and representatives look for other bills to add on these amendments. The KFTC Executive Committee, along with a couple dozen other groups, signed onto a letter to all U.S. senators expressing strong opposition to these amendments whenever and however they are brought up again.

Thanks again for supporting clean, safe water.