Every year, tens-of-millions of people look forward to the opportunity to cheer for their favorite team during the Super Bowl. For those of us who watch via broadcast, we are a captive audience not only for the game but also for the commercials. The companies who advertise during this time receive special attention as well as scrutiny.

During Super Bowl 2018, two commercials left many of us who care about clean water and the health of our nation’s rivers in deep dismay. The Jeep Wrangler ‘Anti-Manifesto’ commercial seems to show a Jeep crossing a river and then driving up a waterfall. Similarly, at the end of Jeep’s ‘The Road’ commercial we see a Jeep driving down the middle of what looks like a pristine mountain stream.

Imagine the implications if everyone or even a significant number of viewers copy this behavior? This is irresponsible advertising demonstrating poor judgement on the part of the Jeep brand its parent company, Fiat Chrysler.

Off-roading in streams makes the water dirty, harms fish and wildlife, tears-up the places people swim, fish and canoe, and too often leads to trespassing on private property. Almost two-thirds of the people in this country get their drinking water from streams and rivers. It is imperative that we keep them clean.

Thousands of organizations and tens of thousands of individuals work at the local, state and national level on behalf of clean water and healthy rivers. They partner with corporate brands to achieve a future of clean water and healthy rivers. We welcome and encourage Fiat Chrysler to be part of solutions that allow everyone to enjoy the outdoors in ways that do not jeopardize our rivers and sources of clean water.

The undersigned ask Fiat Chrysler to issue a statement clarifying that it is not okay to drive a Jeep in a river or stream; to support the Clean Water Rule as promulgated in 2015 that protects small streams and wetlands; and join with the other corporate brands who promote and invest in clean water and healthy rivers.