ACEC Supports New Direction in Federal Wetlands Policy

ACEC News / Advocacy

April 16, 2019

ACEC Supports New Direction in Federal Wetlands Policy

ACEC submitted written comments to the Department of the Army and the Environmental Protection Agency yesterday as part of its ongoing process to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS).

In its comments, ACEC noted that the current proposal favorably addresses nearly every issue it had raised previously concerning the 2015 WOTUS rule. Importantly, the current proposal represents a positive step towards pragmatically balancing federal and state jurisdiction with economic needs and the public interest of achieving the goals of the Clean Water Act.

“America’s engineering industry is keenly aware of the need to design a sustainable built environment, consistent with responsible environmental protections,” said ACEC President/CEO Linda Bauer Darr. “The 2015 WOTUS rule went too far in expanding the definition of wetlands subject to federal jurisdiction and would have caused needless complications in the permitting process. The current revision is a welcome change and a promising course correction.”

To read ACEC comments, click here.

All comments to blog posts will be moderated by ACEC staff.