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AnonymousInactive<>Ten ‘most endangered’ U.S. rivers listed
Conservation group ranks based on perceived threats
PHILADELPHIA – The
Susquehanna River is the most endangered river in America and a threat to public
health due to the sewage flowing into the water, according to a report released
Wednesday by a top environmental group.The river that
flows through New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland is not the nation’s most
polluted but it is at greatest risk of further deterioration, said American
Rivers, which put it at the top of the 10 most endangered rivers in its annual
report.Raw or poorly
treated human sewage contains infectious diseases including salmonella,
hepatitis and dysentery, according to American Rivers.Dozens of sewage
pipes
In Binghamton, N.Y., the main branch of the Susquehanna takes
sewage from 10 outlets, and there are another 70 outlets in Scranton, Penn., and
65 in Harrisburg, Penn., according to the report.Some of the sewage
is raw, especially during rainstorms when drains overflow, and some is poorly
treated because aging pipes cannot deal with growing flow from residential and
commercial development, it said.When the
Susquehanna’s water reaches the Chesapeake Bay on the Maryland shore, high
levels of phosphorous and nitrogen create a “dead zone” where fish are unable to
live during the summer, the report said.The Susquehanna is
a “poster child” for threatened rivers throughout the country, said Rebecca
Wodder, president of American Rivers, which is urging the U.S. Senate to reject
a White House proposal to cut federal funds for water infrastructure by about a
third to $730 million in the current year.Billions in
funds sought
The group argues that $3.2 billion is needed to prevent
further deterioration of the nation’s rivers.The Environmental
Protection Agency said in a statement that the Bush administration plans to
spend $6.8 billion on water infrastructure between 2004 and 2011, $5.1 billion
more than during the previous administration.The top 10 rivers
listed in the report are:1. Susquehanna
River, N.Y., Penn., Md.
2. McCrystal Creek, N.M. Companies are
pushing for coalbed methane drilling in the area.
3. Fraser River,
Colo. The Denver Water Board has been siphoning off large amounts of water
to help development on the other side of the mountains.
4. Skykomish
River, Wash. The crystal clear river is threatened by large scale
development.
5. Roan Creek, Tenn. A huge dairy farm may send large
quantities of manure into the river.
6. Santee River, S.C. A
hydropower dam has taken much of the river’s water.
7. Little Miami River,
Ohio. A wastewater plant, new roads and bridges could significantly pollute
the river.
8. Tuolumne River, Calif. San Francisco wants to take more
and more water from the river.
9. Price River, Utah. Pressure mounting
to build a dam and pipe the water to other communities.
10. Santa Clare
River, Calif. Developers are considering a massive shopping and condo center
near what is called “Southern California’s last significant
river”. -
AuthorApril 19, 2005 at 11:12 AM
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