Alarming Report: 13 Million Americans' Water Supply Is Now At Risk!
A new report from the Center for American Progress warns that millions of Americans' drinking water could be jeopardized by the Trump administration's potential plans to shrink or eliminate national monuments. These protected public lands safeguard crucial waterways that supply over 13 million people, with 83 percent of this water having no other protection. If these monuments lose their designation, extractive industries like mining and drilling could contaminate water sources and deplete supplies, especially in arid regions. This situation carries serious implications for public health and water security across the country. Historically marginalized communities and areas already facing climate-induced water shortages are particularly vulnerable to these threats.
The Center for American Progress recently released an analysis highlighting the critical role national monuments play in protecting drinking water for over 13 million Americans. The report reveals that these 31 monuments, established since the Clinton administration, safeguard more than 21,000 miles of waterways. Crucially, about 83 percent of the water flowing through these public lands depends solely on their monument status for protection, indicating a significant vulnerability if these designations are altered.
The Trump administration is reportedly considering downsizing or revoking some national monument designations, a move that could open these areas to industries like oil and gas drilling, mining, and extensive grazing. Such activities risk contaminating streams and rivers, and can also consume vast amounts of water, further stressing supplies in already arid regions. Earlier this year, the administration announced plans to eliminate California’s Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands national monuments before backtracking, as part of broader "attacks on national monuments" as reported previously. The Washington Post also reported further considerations for monument reductions. During a previous term, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments were shrunk to fractions of their original sizes, only to be restored by President Biden.
Take Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah, for example. It protects over 2,500 miles of waterways, and nearly 90 percent of its watersheds are projected to see water level declines. This monument is vital to the Colorado River System, which millions in the Southwest rely on. As Drew McConville, a co-author of the Center for American Progress report, explains, “Landscapes and waterways go hand in hand... Just protecting the wet stuff itself doesn’t guarantee that you’re keeping [water] clean and durable.” Jackie Grant from Grand Staircase Escalante Partners adds that while people might not immediately think of water when they consider the monument, its protection is crucial for the very water millions depend on.
These potential changes don't just affect water quantity; they also threaten quality and impact disproportionately. The analysis found that historically marginalized communities live within these monument watersheds at higher rates than average. Furthermore, 23 of the studied monuments are in areas already expected to face severe water shortages due to climate change in the coming decades, making the protection offered by these monuments even more critical. Losing these protections would amplify an already urgent crisis, risking widespread environmental damage and public health challenges.