Legislation Would Restore, Protect Drinking Water for Ohio River Region

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 4, 2026) - The bipartisan, bicameral Ohio River Restoration Program Act will restore and protect one of the nation's most important waterways with resources to restore wildlife habitat, improve flood resilience, and clean up toxic pollution that contaminates drinking water.

"This legislation is a win for wildlife and the 30 million people in the region. The bill addresses urgent threats to local waters with solutions that will help protect drinking water, public health, jobs, and quality of life for local communities," said Jordan Lubetkin, director of the recently launched Healthy Waters Coalition. "For too long, toxic pollution, sewage contamination, and flooding have threatened wildlife and people across the fifteen-state region. Without action, these problems will only get worse and more expensive to solve. We thank Senators Young and Fetterman for their leadership, and we look forward to working with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to pass this important legislation."

The companion legislation introduced in the United States Senate by Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) would establish a non-regulatory restoration program - the first-ever national program dedicated to the Ohio River basin - authorizing $350 million to clean up and restore the Ohio River and the rivers, streams, and wetlands that feed it. Resulting projects will improve drinking water sources, safeguard public health, reduce flood risk, and support recreational opportunities across a region stretching from Pittsburgh to Northern Alabama.

The Ohio River Restoration Program Act was originally introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Erin Houchin (R-Ind.) and Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.), co-chairs of the bipartisan Ohio River Basin Caucus.

The interconnected streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands of the Ohio River region face widespread and chronic pollution.

• Nearly 69% of assessed streams and 64% of assessed lakes in the region do not meet state water quality standards - with pollutants including mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, bacteria, and nutrients.
• Nearly every state in the region has issued advisories restricting fish consumption on streams, rivers, or lakes due to contaminants such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, certain pesticides, dioxins, and PFAS "forever chemicals."
• There are at least 146 Superfund sites in the Ohio River Basin - some of these toxic waste sites are already contaminating water supplies.

The Ohio River region includes portions of 15 states, including Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, and West Virginia, as well as two federally recognized Tribal Nations, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Seneca Nation of Indians. The National Wildlife Federation, in collaboration with the Ohio River Basin Alliance, has led a regional effort to craft a plan to restore and protect the waters of the Ohio River Basin.

Every year, Congress supports efforts to conserve and restore great waters, including the Chesapeake Bay, Florida Everglades, Great Lakes, Gulf Coast, Puget Sound, and others. The Healthy Waters Coalition is elevating Ohio River Basin restoration and protection as a national priority on par with other existing popular and successful restoration programs.

Learn more about our Ohio River work at healthywaterscoalition.org.