The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO)'s regulatory authority predates the federal Clean Water Act and many state-based environmental regulations. Its primary purpose is protecting the Ohio River basin from excessive industrial and municipal waste discharges uniformly in Ohio River basin states. Now ORSANCO is proposing to change their Pollution Control Standards (PCS) to pave the way for eliminating the standards in the future, despite overwhelming objections from the public.

The reasoning for gutting the standards, they say, is that they have become redundant alongside Clean Water Act regulations and member-state regulations. But, in its own review, members of the Commission opposing the changes cited "at least 188 parameters among the 6 signatory states and EPA, for which ORSANCO has a criteria but the state or EPA does not."

Who supports the plan to gut standards? The big polluters along the river, of course!

Come to the public hearing and tell ORSANCO Commissioners: 

• I oppose the current draft of the Pollution Control Standards (PCS) released for public comment by the ORSANCO.
• Making the adoption of pollution controls voluntary for states will eliminate accountability and put our health at risk.
• Any future PCS proposals should REQUIRE state adoption to protect the drinking water of 5 million people and recovering Ohio River ecosystems.
• States should be allowed to deviate from the standards ONLY with supporting scientific reasoning and a fully transparent public participation process including public hearings.
• ORSANCO should continue to evaluate discharge permits issued by the states and develop an annual report to summarize the findings for the public. Good government depends on transparency.