October 11, 2013 — How much fish is safe to eat? That’s the key question in a federal lawsuit filed today.
The plaintiffs are trying to force stricter limits on pollution in local waters. A coalition of groups including clean water advocates, tribes, and the commercial fishing industry have filed suit against the Environmental Protection Agency.
They want the feds to force Washington state to adopt tougher regulations, as required by the Clean Water Act. The amount of toxic discharge the state allows is based on assumptions about how much fish people eat. The plaintiffs say the current assumption—6.5 grams per day, or about as much as would fit on a cracker, is woefully inadequate and unsafe.
“It’s about a single bite of fish,” said Chris Wilke with Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, a plaintiff in the suit.
Listen to the audio and read the full story at NPR affiliate KPLU