AFFTA Statement on Loss of Clean Water Rule Protections

September 18, 2019 By: Erin Block

The American Fly Fishing Trade Association has released a statement in response to the Trump administration’s rollback of “protections afforded under the 2015 Clean Water Rule, leaving millions of stream miles across the country vulnerable to pollution and degradation.”

Read more in the press release below.

AFFTA Statement on Loss of Clean Water Rule Protections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2019

BOZEMAN, MT – The Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers announced a final rule on September 12th that rolls back protections afforded under the 2015 Clean Water Rule, leaving millions of stream miles across the country vulnerable to pollution and degradation.

“We are extremely disappointed in this action and deeply concerned for the environmental and economic health of our industry and the country,” said AFFTA president, Ben Bulis. “Every single one of us is downstream from the headwaters and wetlands that the EPA and USACE are now abandoning. Walking back the very protections they put in place in 2015 is extremely irresponsible.

This action will jeopardize the nation’s clean drinking water supply; destroy millions of miles of irreplaceable fish habitat; directly impact fly fishing businesses across the nation; and undermine the powerful economic value of the outdoor recreation industry as a whole—an industry that contributes more to our nation’s GDP than resource extraction. We applaud and support our conservation partner, Trout Unlimited, for their leadership and action on this issue, and join them in calling for Congress to reverse the course of the EPA and Army Corps’ decision.”

Learn more and get involved at https://standup.tu.org/stand-up-for-clean-water/

AFFTA guides the sustainable growth of the fly fishing industry through trade development and stewardship. We accomplish this by advocating for the industry and empowering our members to improve their businesses through collaboration, education and building community; along with advocating for healthy fisheries and engaging our members and partners to support protection, restoration, and access.

Contact: Matt Smythe, (585) 406-5525, [email protected]