With rulemaking intended to clarify jurisdiction for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Clean Water Act, the recent notice for public comment has expectedly attracted lots of attention. Release of the rule has been met with cautious praise as well as criticism.
In release of the proposed rule, USEPA and USACE are acting to protect resources like intermittent and ephemeral streams, which many argue are the lifeblood of some of the Nation’s most fragile landscapes. >Read Details
Ongoing loss of U.S. wetlands despite the Clean Water Act and its requirement for ‘no net loss’ has further drawn attention onto the agencies and the unsustainable plight of the nation’s precious water ‘collectors and filters’. >See Trends
The proposed rule is supported by the latest peer-reviewed science, including a draft scientific assessment by EPA, which presents a review and synthesis of more than 1,000 pieces of scientific literature. The rule will not be finalized until the final version of this scientific assessment is complete and is open for public comment for 90 days from publication in the Federal Register.
More information: www.epa.gov/uswaters Watch Administrator McCarthy’s overview: http://youtu.be/ow-n8zZuDYc Watch Deputy Chief of Staff Arvin Ganesan’s explanation: http://youtu.be/fOUESH_JmA0
