Assateague Coastal Trust

Assateague COASTKEEPER and WATERKEEPER Alliance Take Action on Stormwater Pollution & Poultry Air Pollution

In two separate legal actions, Assateague Coastal Trust and the

have joined

Alliance to strengthen regulations and laws that will protect our water from construction site sediment pollution and airborne nitrogen pollution.

ACTION #1 Earthjustice vs. EPA

In a lawsuit filed January 15 against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a coalition of groups challenged a last minute Bush Administration rule that exempts factory farms from federal laws requiring them to alert government officials when they release unsafe levels of toxic emissions into the surrounding community.

The environmental law firm Earthjustice filed the suit on behalf of the groups, arguing that the exemption will harm people living and working near factory farms. Earthjustice is representing the Waterkeeper Alliance, Sierra Club, Environmental Integrity Project, The Humane Society of the United States, Citizens for Pennsylvania�s Future and Center for Food Safety.

ACTION #2 MD Riverkeepers Take Action

On December 31, 2008, The University of Maryland Environmental Law Clinic on behalf of Assateague Coastal Trust/Assateague COASTKEEPER and twelve other Riverkeeper programs in Maryland filed a challenge to the state�s stormwater permitting process for construction projects that disturb one acre or more of land.

The Coastal Bays are impacted by construction site stormwater runoff which carries sediment and other pollutants into the water.

�Maryland�s General Construction Stormwater Permit for stormwater runoff at construction sites is flawed,� stated Kathy Phillips, Assateague Coastkeeper, �and does not adequately protect the environment or our waterways.�

The article in The Capital, an Annapolis newspaper, written by Pamela Wood, explains more. To view the full article click here.

Click here to view the full Chesapeake Waterkeepers complaint.

Have questions? Email us: mail@actforbays.org