Post-Sackett: What Can States Do To Protect Wetlands?

On November 30, NEC hosted a briefing in partnership with Earthjustice on what states can do to protect wetlands post Sackett.

With the May 2023 Sackett v. EPA ruling significantly weakening the Clean Water Act (CWA), states are left playing defense when it comes to protecting wetlands. Nearly half of States use the CWA definition for Waters of the United States (WOTUS), and anything that isn’t a WOTUS is now vulnerable to pollution and destruction.

This panel discussion covered the context and decision of Sackett v. EPA, and what policy options exist to help restore protections for one of the most important ecosystems, to ensure clean water for future generations.

Panelists

• Sam Sankar – Earthjustice
• Julian Gonzalez – Earthjustice
• Brian Vigue – Audubon Great Lakes
• Jim Murphy – National Wildlife Federation

Additional Resources

View the presentation slides from the Briefing. Additional resources from the event are below. Please reach out to Kate Burgess, NEC Conservation Manager with any questions.

• Map: Wetlands Most in Danger After the U.S. Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA Ruling – Earthjustice
• Community Policy Tools for Protecting Wetlands: Ballot/Bond Initiatives – National Wildlife Federation
• Community Policy Tools for Protecting Wetlands: Leveraging Federal Agriculture Conservation Programs – National Wildlife Federation
• Community Policy Tools for Protecting Wetlands: Leveraging the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to Protect – National Wildlife Federation
• Community Policy Tools for Protecting Wetlands: State Tax Credits and Conservation Easement Reform – National Wildlife Federation
• Community Policy Tools for Protecting Wetlands: Zoning State Tax Credits and Conservation Easement Reform – National Wildlife Federation