It is everyone’s right to have access to clean, safe water. When water becomes unfit for human consumption, animals, or plants, it is considered contaminated. It doesn’t matter where drinking water comes from, it can get contaminated. In some cases, legal action is necessary to ensure your right to clean water.

Despite limited freshwater resources in many parts of the world, a significant amount of them are polluted by pollutants generated by industrial, agricultural, and energy generation activities.

The state of Mississippi is particularly affected by water pollution. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 93% of the state’s waterways are polluted to some degree. This is largely due to agricultural runoff, which accounts for over 60% of all water pollution in the state with some influence from industrial and municipal discharge.

If you believe your land has been polluted, we can help. Our lawyers can help our clients set up the internal procedures needed to comply with environmental laws, guide their expansion when the environment might be impacted, and defend them and their companies against charges of environmental violations. Call us today at (228) 374-2313 or contact us through our website.

The number of substances that can pollute water bodies is vast, including pathogenic microorganisms, putrescible organic waste, fertilizers and plant nutrients, toxic chemicals, sediment, heat, petroleum (oil), and radioactivity.

There are many cases in which water pollution makes drinking, cooking, cleaning, swimming, and other activities impossible. In Mississippi, the most common pollutants are chemicals, trash, bacteria, and parasites.

Every type of pollution eventually ends up in the water; as air pollution settles into lakes and oceans. Land pollution can seep into an underground stream, then into a river, and ultimately into the ocean. Consequently, waste dumped on a vacant lot can pollute water sources.

Recent research by Louisiana State University examined how the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act impact Mississippi River quality, especially downstream. As fertilizers and other nutrients leached into the Mississippi River during spring rains, Midwest farming had grave threats to the

river’s water and wildlife. Although runoff from agriculture and urban streets still remains a hazard to the quality of water in the Mississippi River, toxic chemicals from factories and plants have been greatly curtailed. These are signs of a healthier Mississippi River.

We have represented buyers and sellers of real estate, landlords and tenants, lenders and borrowers, and real estate development firms faced with a broad range of environmental issues, including:

• Air pollution and Clean Air Act matters
• Asbestos issues
• Clean Water Act issues
• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)
• Contract negotiations and indemnifications
• Defense of environmental lawsuits and environmental crimes
• Environmental hazard mitigation and clean up
• Fiduciary liability protection
• Groundwater contamination
• Hazardous materials and waste
• Land use
• Lender liability protection
• Permitting issues
• Private citizens’ lawsuits
• Real estate development issues
• Soil contamination
• Wastewater management
• Wetlands regulation, mitigation, and restoration

With the help of experienced counsel, environmental law compliance can be integrated into your business’s commercial activity with a minimum of cost and effort.

At Rushing & Guice, our experienced environmental law attorneys stand ready to provide knowledgeable and trusted counsel on all matters that implicate the laws and regulations governing land use and environmental preservation and reclamation. Call us at (228) 374-2313 or fill out our online form to arrange for a limited initial consultation. We look forward to hearing from you and look forward to the opportunity to serve as your attorneys.

The Clean Water Act (CWA) is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. The CWA was passed in 1972 in order to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. Without a permit, pollutants cannot be discharged into navigable waters.

Under the Clean Water Act, wetlands are protected by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The NPDES permit program requires those dumping pollutants into navigable waters to obtain a permit. In this permit, pollution discharges are limited in quantity and must meet certain quality standards.

Wetlands are also protected by state and local laws. It’s important to know what regulations apply in your area, since they may be more stringent than CWA.

If you are aware of any illegal activity happening on wetlands, you can help them be protected by learning about the laws protecting them. Together, we can protect these vital ecosystems for future generations.

At Rushing & Guice, our environmental law attorneys provide knowledgeable and trusted guidance on all matters involving land use laws, environmental preservation, and environmental reclamation. Call us at (228) 374-2313 or fill out our online form to arrange for a limited initial consultation. Our attorneys look forward to the opportunity to learn more about your case.