Milwaukee cleanup could slow with Trump's election

The gutting of the EPA also threatens the funding that currently funds the cleanup of legacy contamination from the river bottom in Milwaukee.

Gary Belan and Jennifer Bolger Breceda
| Special to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Milwaukee River is a remarkable symbol of healing, an example of what we can do for our clean water and our communities when we act, invest and work together. This river also reminds us that we must remain vigilant: the upcoming elections will have monumental consequences for the water and rivers on which our families and communities depend.

Throughout this region, the Great Lakes and the rivers that flow into them provide a significant amount of our clean, safe and reliable drinking water. Our rivers, streams and lakes are home to valuable fish, birds and wildlife, and provide valuable places for recreation, fishing and hunting, and connections to the outdoors. They are also the engine of our economy.

But our water faces big challenges. Billions of gallons of sewage end up in the Great Lakes after heavy rains. Sewage backups and flooding are all too common and aging water infrastructure is collapsing. Our water sources are contaminated by other sources of pollution, including permanent chemicals and microplastics. Nationally, recent Supreme Court decisions have reduced federal drinking water protections, giving polluters the green light to pollute waterways and reducing public safeguards.

Project 2025, the election of Trump would threaten drinking water

And now, rivers everywhere face an even greater threat, with the plan known as Project 2025. If this plan from the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based think tank, takes root, the impact on our rivers and our water will be devastating.

One of the most alarming impacts of Project 2025 on our drinking water is gutting the Environmental Protection Agency. The plan strips the agency of the ability to enforce clean water standards and hold polluters accountable. The result? More chemicals and waste are dirtying our waters.

James Causey: The 2025 Project describes Trump’s second term in alarming detail. This is not an exaggeration.

The gutting of the EPA also threatens the funding that currently funds the cleanup of legacy contamination from the river bottom in Milwaukee. If Project 2025 stops funding, these important projects for public health and safety will likely stop as well. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which relies on funding from the EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is also under threat. If this effort fails, our water quality, fish and wildlife, and recreational opportunities important to our economy and quality of life will suffer.

NOAA could be dismantled under Heritage Foundation proposal

Speaking of NOAA, Project 2025 aims to dismantle the agency, privatizing key tasks including the weather reports that people use daily to project everything from the weather to bringing an umbrella to the quality of the basic air. This means people may not have the timely, quality information they need to protect their homes, farms and businesses from storms and flooding. The plan dismantles FEMA to share its emergency response responsibilities between the Interior Department and the Transportation Department, impacting the agency’s ability to help vulnerable communities recover quickly after disasters. .

Project 2025 also puts our waters at risk by opening sensitive lands to mining, oil and gas drilling. This would put countless miles of waterways and wildlife habitats at risk. The plan “streamlines” public guarantees, which is a polite way of saying it puts big business profits ahead of citizens.

Project 2025 claims to be a “common sense” plan. But there is no common sense in ignoring science, putting corporate profits ahead of our children’s clean water, and endangering the safety of our communities.

Our nation needs collaborative, bipartisan solutions for clean water and healthy rivers. Extreme projects like Project 2025, backed by powerful corporate interests, are the antithesis of local community collaboration and our national conservation heritage.

On the Milwaukee River, across the Great Lakes and nationally, water should be an issue that connects us rather than divides us. When you vote in November, know where your candidates stand on important issues related to clean water. Vote for the candidates who will defend your drinking water, protect your rivers, and defend the health and safety of your family.

Gary Belan is senior director of American Rivers, a nonprofit organization that promotes the restoration and protection of America’s rivers. Jennifer Bolger Breceda is executive director of Milwaukee Riverkeeper, a science-based advocacy organization working to promote swimmable and fishable rivers throughout the Milwaukee River Basin.

The gutting of the EPA also threatens the funding that currently funds the cleanup of legacy contamination from the river bottom in Milwaukee.

Project 2025, the election of Trump would threaten drinking water

NOAA could be dismantled under Heritage Foundation proposal

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