Photo of lake with trees around it. An example of a water body in Virginia that could be protected by the Clean water act
May 25, 2022

CWA50: Water Quality Standards and Remedying Unhealthy Waters

Water quality is a primary focus of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The CWA protects water quality by regulating pollutant discharges into surface waters so as to maintain and restore unhealthy water. But how do you know whether a lake, stream, river, estuary, or other water body is healthy? And what happens when it is… Read more


photo of a water body that could be protected by the Clean Water Act
April 1, 2022

CWA50: Cooperative Federalism, Section 401, and the MVP

Wild Virginia’s ongoing fight to stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline has showcased a key feature of the Clean Water Act: cooperative federalism. This legal principle supports the statute’s regulatory and enforcement structure, establishing a framework founded on “collaboration between the federal and state governments to achieve a common goal.” Specifically, to restore and maintain the… Read more


Photo of water to give an example of water body potentially protected by Clean Water Act
January 18, 2022

CWA50: Help Protect Virginia’s Waters!

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act (“CWA” or “the Act”), the key federal law protecting water quality throughout the United States. Our CWA50 blog series celebrates this milestone by offering opportunities to learn about the CWA as well as highlighting occasions to participate in environmental action. Excitingly, you have an… Read more


Lesser scaup swimming in water with reflections at Viera Wetlands.
November 18, 2021

Citizen Enforcement of the Clean Water Act

Our Clean Water Act (CWA50) blog series continues with a short overview of one of the Clean Water Act’s most powerful enforcement mechanisms: the citizen suit provision. Clean Water Act History Under the Clean Water Act (“CWA”), the states, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), and citizens all have enforcement authority. This novel environmental enforcement framework… Read more


Sunrise on a calm fall morning at the Harwood's Mill Reservoir in York County, Virginia.
October 18, 2021

CWA50: A Year of Clean Water Action to Celebrate the Clean Water Act

The Clean Water Act (CWA) marks its 50th anniversary next year, an important milestone for an ambitious statute. Wild Virginia invites its members, as well as members of the public, to celebrate this occasion by getting their feet wet in protecting Virginia’s water resources. From October 2021 to October 2022, Wild Virginia will undertake a… Read more