On May 25, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Sackett vs. EPA that signficantly narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act. The Act gives the EPA regulatory authority over the “waters of the United States” – a term the court described as having “a persistently uncertain meaning.” In the majority opinion, authored by Justice Ailito, the court ruled that the protections of the Clean Water Act extend only to wetlands that have a “continuous surface connection” with a navigable waterway.

The ruling has the potential of opening up millions of acres of wetlands to development. The Wisconsin Wetlands Association has condemned the ruling and vowed to continue to seek protection of all wetlands. Erin O’Brien is the Policy Programs Director with the Wisconsin Wetlands Association, and she joins us now by phone.

 

Image Courtesy 12019 for Pixabay

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