Ask Your State Representatives to Protect Streams and Wetlands!

Freshwater wetlands and streams are essential for healthy wildlife and clean drinking water. Earlier this year we asked you to push back against the Trump administration’s rollback of the Clean Water Act.

Now, we can help pass two bills in the New York Legislature to add greater protections to at-risk wetlands and streams across the state.

In the Hudson River Watershed, at least 40 percent of stream miles lack key state protections. Riverkeeper has documented both vulnerabilities to public drinking water supplies, and actual harm to water quality and habitat that has resulted from alteration of these streams.

Protecting wetlands is important to filter out water pollution, provide irreplaceable habitat for wildlife, and mitigate the impacts of flooding – particularly as climate change increases flood risks. New York only protects freshwater wetlands 12.4 acres or larger if they are on a DEC approved map. New York is the only state left in the Northeast without protections for small freshwater wetlands. With 1 million species at risk of extinction globally, according to a new UN report, we can do our part by protecting wetlands and streams now.