October 23, 2020

Mr. Andrew R. Wheeler

Environmental Protection Agency 1101A
USEPA William Jefferson Clinton Building North (WJC North)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004

Dear Mr. Wheeler,

My name is Sierra Brill and I am a senior at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I am writing to
you today to voice my concerns about how you are handling the issue of habitat destruction,
specifically the degradation of wetlands. Wetlands are an essential base component in the global
ecosystem. They are the midway between the sea and the land and as such play integral roles in
cultivating biodiversity, cleaning waterways, and even supporting physical and economic
infrastructure. By protecting wetlands, humans not only save billions of dollars in waste-water
management and storm/flood protection, but also gain millions of jobs and stimulate the
economy through commercial and recreational fishing. Unfortunately, only 5.5% of US land is
wetlands, a study that your organization took in 2013 showed that this number is down over 7%
from 1989 (EPA, 2020). A lot is being done for the restoration and protection of these impactful
zones, but I believe a lot more needs to happen and you have the power to motivate change.

If you consider economy alone, “The quantity and quality of our seafood is directly
related to the quality and extent of wetland habitats.” (N.O.A.A, 2020). This is because estuaries
act as breeding and foraging grounds for a vast array of fish and shellfish (among several other
invertebrates and birds). The species present in estuaries contribute to 68% of commercial fish
catch and 80% of recreational catch which grosses over $244 billion in the US (N.O.A.A). That’s
a huge financial investment that is worth protecting. Aside from fishing related industries,
estuaries generate another $12 billion in annual revenue purely from ecotourism.

It’s estimated that the United States loses 80,000 acres of coastal wetlands yearly
(N.O.A.A., 2020); over 90% of California wetlands have been degraded and destroyed in the
past 200 years (Blount, 2020). Not only does this pose a threat to millions of jobs and an entire
industry of business, but also to the stability of ecosystems and biodiversity. The biodiversity
presented by wetland ecosystems is vast and dynamic, which is important in cultivating genetic
diversity as well. High genetic diversity ensures the health and safety of the organism living in
that space, which also feeds directly back to humans who utilize the wetlands for consumption. If
we continue to degrade these habitats, we risk the health and wellbeing of our oceans and inland
ecosystems because so many organisms are connected by this type of environment. The success
of wetlands is directly in our control.

A reduction in wetland space from anthropogenic forces such as construction, toxic

runoff pollutants, and increased sedimentation will inevitably cause this precious environment to
crash. Though estuaries are essentially the kidneys of our waterways (filtering toxins before they
reach open bodies of water), they are being overloaded by unnatural pollutants such as untreated
sewage and agricultural runoff. A lot is being done to directly protect wetlands and reconstruct
already damaged areas, but much more thought and action needs to be given these ecosystems.
It’s not enough to regulate construction of commercial zoning, building on estuaries needs to
stop completely. Agriculture needs to be monitored more effectively, even scrutinized if not up
to a sustainable and environmentally safe standard. Laws surrounding water treatment need to
become more stringent. I urge you to consider the impact these environmental communities have
on the world and then understand that you have the power to make a valuable difference in the
world.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Sierra Brill