Submit Public Comments

Public comments are one of the most effective ways you can stop pollution in your neck of the woods. It's easy, too: in some areas you can over the internet. Potomac Riverkeeper and Shenandoah Riverkeeper have spearheaded the public commenting charge in the Potomac River watershed for years now, and we are mobilizing residents to do the same.

Last summer, the pollution permit for the Mattawoman Wastewater Treatment Plant came up for review. Potomac Riverkeeper's lawyers at the University of Maryland's Environmental Law Clinic submitted our comments, which indicated our desire to see a stronger permit that was consistent, enforceable, and that allowed less pollution going into the Mattawoman Creek.

The plant discharges into impaired waters and has a history of violating it's permit. Clearly, someone needed to point out that pollution reductions were necessary.

On January 1, 2010, a new permit for the treatment took effect. The permit included 25% reductions in two areas that contribute to the water body's impaired status. Our comments are the reason for the reductions...because we were the only group that submitted comments. In our case, we made change simply because we spoke up, and it's the reason Potomac Riverkeeper is constantly urging our members and supporters to do the same.

We are not currently working on any commenting campaigns at the moment, but if you want to learn more about public commenting, download our free guide!

Writing for Your Watershed: A Citizen's Guide to Effective Comments on National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits (NPDES)