Tell PA DEP: Don’t weaken our clean water protections!

Over the past few years, we’ve seen Merck Pharmaceuticals champion a harmful bill each legislative session that would weaken the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law and would let industry polluters decide whether to report spills or discharges that enter our waterways.

This bill was defeated every legislative session due to significant pushback from environmental groups, sportsmen, county conservation districts, and others.

Shockingly, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) has issued a draft regulation very similar to this bad bill.

If this regulation is finalized, polluters could pollute more without notifying anyone, impacting communities and businesses downstream who are possibly in harm's way.

Tell PA DEP: Don't weaken our clean water protections!

We have until June 4th to weigh in. Submit your comments to PA DEP now.

Please refer to these talking points in your comments if needed.

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Thank you for submitting comments. Would you be willing to testify at DEP's virtual public hearing on May 15th? *

Yes, I plan to attend and testify.

Yes, I plan to attend, but I'd rather not give testimony.

No, but I want to receive updates as things progress.

Here are the details to register for the virtual hearing.

Please contact Casey Damicantonio for the PA DEP and the Board at (717) 783-8727 or RA-EPEQB@pa.gov by 5 p.m. on May 8, 2025.

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Subject

Oppose the Proposed Rulemaking: Notification Requirements for Unauthorized Discharges to Waters of the Commonwealth

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I oppose the Administration’s Proposed Rulemaking: Notification Requirements for Unauthorized Discharges to Waters of the Commonwealth. I urge the Shapiro administration to NOT finalize this rulemaking. The Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law is one of our bedrock environmental laws that has protected our waters for over 80 years. The Clean Streams Law has been used effectively for decades, both to compel corrective action and impose civil penalties against companies that polluted our waters and contaminated drinking water supplies. This proposed rulemaking would require the person responsible for a spill to document and evaluate fifteen complicated factors in order to determine whether the spill will pollute our waters or endanger downstream users. The current notification process under the Clean Streams Law requires immediate notice in order to protect downstream water users who are potentially in harm’s way. The current notification requirements do not need to be changed. If this regulation is finalized, spills will occur, and polluters can decide they don’t have to notify anyone, putting our drinking water at risk.

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