Read all about the conservation cases our team took on in 2011.
EPA has failed to protect Idaho's Water
Date:
04/26/2010 
Advocates Sues to Protect Clean Water
On behalf of our client Idaho Conservation League, Advocates for the West sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week claiming that the EPA failed to adopt rules to protect water in Idaho from degradation.
Idaho contains over 106,000 miles of rivers and streams, and over 100 lakes and reservoirs within state boundaries. These rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands not only provide great natural beauty, but they supply the water necessary for drinking, recreation, industry, agriculture and aquatic life. Unfortunately, only a small fraction of these waters are meeting minimum standards for desired water quality. According to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality ("DEQ"), only 27% of Idaho's streams are currently meeting state water quality standards for one or more pollutant. The DEQ has failed to even monitor 37% of all waters within the state.
Under the Clean Water Act, EPA is required to issue rules protecting the water quality and health of these waters. EPA has failed to issue these rules - contributing to the degradation of Idaho's waters. EPA's violoation is especially problematic because the State of Idaho and EPA have repeatedly neglected to adopt any antidegradation implementation plan in nearly 40 years since Congress passed the Clean Water Act.
Advocates for the West teamed up with the Idaho Conservation League to force EPA to comply with the Clean Water Act, and issue new rules and regulations requiring EPA to protect and restore the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of our waters.
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