Toxic Discharges and Environmental Rollbacks

The National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, was signed into law by President Richard Nixon. The current decision to roll back NEPA protections will lead to less environmental review by agencies and the public before projects are approved.

We have seen major climate and environmental policies dismantled in the last three years. Nearly 70 environmental rules and regulations have been rolled back since 2016. More than 30 additional rollbacks are still in progress.

More than 43,000 chemicals are in daily use in the United States - including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, food additives, and other commercial products Many of these chemicals are proven or suspected toxic substances.

Most of these toxic materials have been produced in large amounts since World War II, their effects on human health and the environment are still inadequately understood.

Toxic materials are harmful over a wide range of concentrations. At high levels, toxicants may cause tissue damage or acute toxicity - serious illness or even death. At intermediate concentrations, exposure to toxic chemicals may alter animal behavior, irritate tissues, and disrupt the senses (causing blurred vision, dizziness, and tremors). Long-term exposure to barely detectable concentrations of toxicants may produce chronic effects such as cancer (from carcinogenic toxic chemicals), genetic changes (from mutagenic toxic chemicals), fetal deformities (from teratogenic toxic chemicals), sterility, allergies, and heart, lung, or liver damage.

Most carcinogens, mutagens, and teratogens have no safe "threshold" concentration; exposure to any amount of these substances is harmful. One way to control toxic pollutants is to effectively control industrial and municipal air and water discharges.

The Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory agencies need to impose strict limitations on the type and quantity of toxics which can be discharged into our environment. Existing environmental and public heath protection laws should not be weakened.

Click here to see the proposed NEPA rule changes