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Pollution lawsuit could curb aerial retardant use

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A lawsuit that could drastically change the way we fight wildfires in the U.S. is set to be ruled on any day now.

The issue at hand is the red fire retardant that is dropped from planes to help battle wildfires. The environmentalist group 'Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics' says the retardant pollutes waterways and has fertilizers and salts that can be harmful to aquatic animals.

The group is trying to block the U.S. Forest Service from using it until they get a pollution permit.

Andy Stahl, the Executive Director of FSEEE, says the law is very clear.

"It's our nation's most fundamental environmental law, which says you cannot pollute without a permit," he said. "At the end of the day, we want clean water. That's the outcome we're seeking."

10 Tanker Air Carrier, one of the aerial firefighting companies that performs the retardant drops on national forests, says their operations would continue with water or other qualified products.

John Gould, the company’s president, says it won’t be as effective as the red slurry.

“The effectiveness of water is 50% of that of the effectiveness of long-term retardants,” he added.

If a judge rules this has to stop, the ruling would only apply to federal land. State land wouldn’t see any restrictions.