Colorado environment groups presented a box of 23,887 comment cards and letters from residents favoring stricter enforcement to stop pollution. The EPA had extended a 60-day public comment period until the end of July.

Environment Colorado, Trout Unlimited, Sierra Club and others ran a door-to-door campaign.

"If you don't give the EPA the tools to protect those gullies and deal with spills there, ultimately they will not be able to protect rivers either," said David Nickum, executive director of Colorado Trout Unlimited.

Read more: EPA seeks greater pollution control over small waterways - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_18556082#ixzz1TKd4MhU7