Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving to gut the Clean Water Act.

For five decades, Section 401 of the Clean Water Act has provided a critical tool to protect waterways from pollution. This provision allows local communities to review major federal projects like pipelines, dams, and industrial facilities that could affect their water quality.¹

The provision has been vital to protecting drinking water sources, fisheries, and wetlands.

Now, Trump’s EPA wants to cave to corporations and limit this authority. This shift represents a substantial reduction in local control over water quality decisions, and will be a disaster for water quality nationwide. But we have a chance right now to stop this rule change and protect our water.

The New York Times describes the Clean Water Act rule in shockingly clear terms, saying, “the agency plans to calculate only the cost to industry when setting pollution limits, and not the monetary value of saving human lives.”

The proposed changes are particularly concerning as demand for new infrastructure, including data centers and energy projects, continues to grow. Without real review processes, communities will have limited ability to protect their water resources from Big Tech.

We have the chance to make our voices heard during the public comment period, which goes through February 17th.

Thanks for taking action,

Joey and the Demand Progress team

Sources:

1. AP, "EPA proposes limiting power of states and tribes to block major projects over water concerns," January 13,2026.

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