America is a country of animal lovers. 

So much so that Oregon is advancing a proposed ballot initiative that would get rid of exemptions to animal cruelty laws in an attempt to reduce ”animal abuse, animal neglect, and animal sexual assault” and “improve their quality of life.” The initiative has garnered criticism for the outsized impact it would have on agriculture and fishing, even causing common practices in the industries to be criminalized. 

While some see this as a step too far, it does raise an important question: are we really considering all the ways animals — especially endangered species — are impacted by human activities? 

Federal law doesn’t just protect humans from environmental harm — it also protects animals. Endangered species are protected by various laws, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) being the most well-known.  

That matters in light of growing concern over toxins present in our water. While water regulation has historically focused on industrial chemicals that may be discharged into the environment, developing research shows additional risk from pharmaceuticals that end up in wastewater, potentially affecting human fertility and health overall.  

These concerns don’t apply to just humans, but to animals, including endangered species. 

 Every single state has endangered and threatened animal species that cannot afford to be exposed to anything that will prevent their reproduction.  

And if there’s any drug we should be focused on in this regard, it’s Chemical Abortion Pills: drugs that are specifically designed to kill.  

The metabolites in Chemical Abortion Pills block the hormone progesterone, which is necessary to maintain pregnancies in both humans and animals. Those metabolites stay active after they leave the body and enter our water. 

Students for Life (SFL) has been working hard to bring attention to the presence of Chemical Abortion Pills in our water. More than 50 tons of abortion pollution — including placental tissue, blood, and human remains — are dumped into our waterways each year. 

Our peer-reviewed water study (soon to be published) showed the presence of these pharmaceuticals in natural waterways both upstream and downstream from water waste treatment plants, as well as in our tap water. 

Because of the effect this could have on public health and fertility, Students for Life is pushing for Chemical Abortion Pills to be added to the EPA’s contaminant list to make sure our water is safe for all our country’s residents, including endangered species. 

There are nearly 1,500 endangered species in the United States, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.  

These include animals from the Mexican wolf and jaguar in the Southwest to the rusty patched bumble bee across the East and Midwest to the Laysan duck in Hawaii.  

All of these animals, regardless of species or location, require clean water and a chance to reproduce to escape their approaching extinction. 

But these are not the only species affected by reckless government policy. Endangered and threatened species exist in every state in the country, meaning this is an issue no state can ignore. 

To view endangered and threatened species in your state or territory, click on the corresponding link in the list below: 

1. Alabama 

2. Alaska 

3. American Samoa 

4. Arizona 

5. Arkansas 

6. California 

7. Colorado 

8. Connecticut 

9. Delaware 

10. District of Columbia 

11. Florida 

12. Georgia 

13. Guam 

14. Hawaii 

15. Idaho 

16. Illinois 

17. Indiana 

18. Iowa 

19. Kansas 

20. Kentucky 

21. Louisiana 

22. Maine 

23. Maryland 

24. Massachusetts 

25. Michigan 

26. Minnesota 

27. Mississippi 

28. Missouri 

29. Montana 

30. Nebraska 

31. Nevada 

32. New Hampshire 

33. New Jersey 

34. New Mexico 

35. New York 

36. North Carolina 

37. North Dakota 

38. Northern Mariana Islands 

39. Ohio 

40. Oklahoma 

41. Oregon 

42. Outlying Caribbean Islands 

43. Outlying Pacific Islands 

44. Pennsylvania 

45. Puerto Rico 

46. Rhode Island 

47. South Carolina 

48. South Dakota 

49. Tennessee 

50. Texas 

51. Utah 

52. Vermont 

53. Virgin Islands 

54. Virginia 

55. Washington 

56. West Virginia 

57. Wisconsin 

58. Wyoming 

It is our government’s responsibility to protect the vulnerable — even if they are nonhuman. The FDA must uphold the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act by reviewing mifepristone’s presence in the water.  

Students for Life of America has called on the EPA to monitor mifepristone in our drinking water as part of the “Safe Drinking Water Act” contaminants of concern review, as well as collected over 1,700 comments from the public to urge their action. SFLA also submitted a comment as part of the EPA’s comment period on adding new contaminants to their tracking list. 

Clean water impacts us all – man, women, and children – as well as the plant, animal, and aquatic life that shares our planet. You don’t have to be pro-life to want crystal clear water.  

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE DRAFT EPA CONTAMINANT CANDIDATE LIST 

READ MORE: AMICUS BRIEF ALERT: FDA Failed to Protect the Endangered Species from Chemical Abortion Pills, says Students for Life of America 

READ MORE: What Do Animal Rights Activists and Pro-Lifers Have in Common? More Than You Might Think