Biden aims to protect wetlands, rivers and streams

Specifically, the effort would protect 8 million wetland acres and 160,000 kilometers of rivers and streams.

While this plan offers new specificity, it appears no more ambitious than the government’s overarching goal to protect 30 percent of the country’s land and waters by 2030.

There are 75.5 million acres of wetlands and more than 2.5 million river miles in the US

To achieve the new goal, the government announced that it would create a “freshwater challenge” which calls on states, tribes and cities to advance their freshwater conservation and restoration policies. Ten states, eight tribes and 24 local governments have signed on.

Additionally, the White House announced $1 billion in funding improve tribal access to water. This includes $700 million from the Indian Health Service and $320 million from the Bureau of Reclamation to accelerate the delivery of drinking water and water infrastructure.

Currently, more than half of tribal households do not have clean water or adequate sanitation, the government said.

Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.