Kentucky is on the verge of losing one of its most vital natural defenses—its wetlands. A newly proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule, under the direction of Donald Trump, would strip Clean Water Act protections from the vast majority of Kentucky’s wetlands and many smaller waterways. This isn't just an administrative change—it’s an environmental threat with dangerous consequences for our health, safety, and communities.

Wetlands in Kentucky help control flooding, purify drinking water, and support ecosystems as diverse and essential as tropical rainforests. Yet, over 80% of our original wetlands have already been lost. This new rule would leave more than 85% of those that remain unprotected. These changes go far beyond what the Supreme Court’s 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision requires—they are a handout to polluting industries at the expense of everyday Kentuckians.

Even the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet opposed the state's recent move to defer wetland protection standards to the federal government, warning that it would threaten drinking water for 1.5 million Kentuckians and increase flooding risk. Now, with Trump’s EPA poised to narrow which waterways count as “protected,” Kentucky’s communities could face dirtier water, more costly flood damage, and irreversible environmental harm.

This is not a partisan issue—this is about our right to clean water, to safe homes, and to a future where Kentucky's natural beauty and biodiversity still exist for our children.

We call on the U.S. EPA to reverse this harmful proposal and restore strong, science-based protections for all of Kentucky’s waterways. And we urge Governor Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet to speak out—loudly and publicly—in defense of our wetlands, our water, and our communities.

Don’t let short-term industry profits determine the future of Kentucky’s environment. Sign and share this petition to demand protection.

Photo via courier-journal.com