Clean Water Act

The Clean Water Act (CWA) is a landmark federal law in the United States that governs the discharge of pollutants into the nation's surface waters. Its primary goal is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the water. The CWA establishes a "fishable and swimmable" goal for all U.S. waters. Recent news highlights the CWA's current relevance and ongoing enforcement challenges. For instance, the Trump administration reportedly halted a federal criminal investigation into potential Clean Water Act violations by the coal operations of Senator Jim Justice. Additionally, proposed regulations aimed at controlling PFAS contamination in sewage sludge, which could have significantly limited its use as fertilizer on farmland, were also reportedly killed by the Trump administration. These actions raise concerns about the enforcement and weakening of environmental protections under the CWA, impacting public health, agriculture, and water quality.