Deadline: Ongoing Action
Why this Matters
The Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Sackett v. EPA stripped Clean Water Act protection from a large share of the nation's wetlands. Estuary country took the hardest hit, because the wetlands that matter most are often the ones that are wet part of the year rather than all of it. Alsea Bay is exactly that kind of place. Tidal marsh is where juvenile coho put on the size they need before heading to sea, and it is the sponge that soaks up storm surge before it reaches Waldport. Some states have moved to fill the gap with their own rules. Others have gone the opposite direction. Water does not stop at a state line, which is why this has to be settled by Congress.
Steps to Take
Send your message through Sierra Club's Restore Critical Water Protections action page.
Add a paragraph of your own above the prepared letter. Describe a specific body of water you know well and what it does for the people around it.
Connect wetlands to flooding, not only to wildlife. Members of Congress who are unmoved by habitat often pay attention to what protects homes and roads.
Send it to both Oregon senators and to your representative. The form handles the routing once you enter your address.