Pew Applauds Colorado’s Effort to Restore State’s Freshwater Protections
Water Quality Control Commission finalizes new regulation to safeguard rivers and wetlands
Adoption of a new regulation will safeguard up to 70% of Colorado’s rivers and almost all of its wetlands in a significant step—the first in the nation—toward restoring protections lost in a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency.
The rulemaking, led by the nine-member commission, develops a program, known as Regulation 87, to protect waterways from pollution and degradation while providing a regulatory pathway for those seeking to develop property.
The Pew Charitable Trusts worked with a coalition of 26 organizations, who represent more than 200,000 Coloradans, to urge the commission to implement robust and comprehensive water protections and enforcement that would help to:
- Protect drinking water for 3.7 million Coloradans and 40 million downstream residents.
- Bolster “nature-based” defenses against increasing wildfires and floods experienced by the state and much of the western U.S.
- Sustain the state’s $37 billion outdoor recreation economy.
- Conserve wildlife habitat for almost 1,000 species.
- Capture and store carbon.
The commission concluded its hearings after public testimony from more than 45 individuals and organizational representatives, with 95% of public comment in favor of a strong final regulation.
Carrie Sandstedt, a senior officer with The Pew Charitable Trusts’ U.S. conservation project, issued this statement:
“We commend the Water Quality Control Commission for putting Colorado on a promising path toward restoring much-needed protections for 70% of the state’s rivers and almost all of the state's wetlands. Throughout this process, thousands of Coloradans expressed support for this important program, which will conserve the waterways that sustain our local communities, economies, and recreational opportunities."
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Founded in 1948, The Pew Charitable Trusts uses data to make a difference. Pew addresses the challenges of a changing world by illuminating issues, creating common ground, and advancing ambitious projects that lead to tangible progress. Learn more at pew.org.
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