Protecting water resources from climate change

Hudson Valley Press Online: Today, U.S. Reps. John Hall (D-NY19) and Maurice Hinchey (D-NY22) introduced legislation that will help protect America's water from climate change. The legislation would direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Academies of Science (NAS) to study the impact of climate change on America's water resources…. The legislation Hall and Hinchey are introducing would direct EPA to work with the NAS to examine the impact of climate change on water resources, government efforts to maintain water quality, and new approaches that may be needed to meet this challenge. Specifically, the study would address:

• Impacts on America’s water resources, wetlands, and shorelines,

• Regional variation in precipitation patterns

• Water quality and protection efforts under the Clean Water Act

• Steps that should be taken under the Clean Water Act to account for the impacts of climate change in efforts to maintain water quality standards

Hall is the original sponsor of the bill. Hinchey, as well as U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA) and John Lewis (D-GA) are original co-sponsors.

Shot of the Hudson Valley by NASA, Wikimedia Commons