Action Alert: Muddy runoff or clear, healthy trout waters?
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) is asking for public comment on changes to how our state reviews construction projects that impact streams and wetlands.
These reviews are part of something called the Section 401 Water Quality Certification — a key safeguard that helps make sure projects approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers don’t harm our waters.
Muddy runoff or clear, healthy trout waters? Section 401 Water Quality Certifications are one of our state’s strongest tools to protect clean water — but new changes could limit public input and oversight.
Some of the changes in this new proposal are good news, strengthening design standards and reducing pollution from construction materials and spills. We thank WVDEP for those improvements!
Other changes, however, would weaken public input and oversight. The new rules would make it easier for big projects — like pipelines, mining operations, and roads — to move forward under broad, one-size-fits-all permits instead of site-specific reviews.
That means less local input, less transparency, and fewer opportunities for communities to protect their nearby streams, trout waters, and drinking water sources.
Every West Virginian deserves a say when decisions are made about our streams, rivers, and wetlands.
Thank you for taking action with us today,
WV Rivers Coalition
P.S. Want to hear more from WVDEP before submitting your comment? Attend the virtual hearing TODAY, Thursday at 6:00 PM. Click this link to join the call.
