Upper Missouri Waterkeeper enforces clean water laws and advocates for strong, new rules that will provide critical defense in the future.
Strategy: Permit Review & Appeals
Strong pollution permits are key tools for protecting our clean water.
One of Upper Missouri Waterkeeper’s primary activities is the review and scrutiny of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the Montana Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ), to ensure that we are both protecting our best quality waters and reducing pollution to other, heavily used waters.
Strategy: Citizen Lawsuits
From the federal Clean Water Act of 1972, Section 505 (a):
“…any citizen may commence a civil action on his own behalf against any person … who is alleged to be in violation of (A) an effluent standard or limitation… or (B) an order issued by the Administrator or a State with respect to such a standard or limitation…”
Foundation: Montana’s Constitution
Montana’s Visionary Constitution: Upper Missouri Waterkeeper is committed to protecting Montana’s environment by using the ‘watershed approach.’ One of the critical ways we are able to protect watershed health is by assuring that the State complies with key provisions of the Montana Constitution. Written in 1972 and ratified by the voters that same year, the Montana Constitution endows Montanans with rights surpassing, in some cases, those provided under our federal Constitution.
Foundation: Federal Law
Upholding Pollution Laws for Cleaner Water
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper enforces the Clean Water Act through citizen lawsuits against the most egregious violators. Our goal is to achieve negotiated settlements that bring polluters into compliance with the law and the NPDES permitting system.