New White House Leadership on Wetlands

On August 24 the Clinton Administration announced a policy for the nation’s wetlands that aims to end years of confusion and infighting among various federal agencies with overlapping jurisdictions. Initial reaction to the plan from all sides was mixed, although most people are waiting to see how things unfold as the plan is implemented.

Among the 40 or more changes to current wetlands policy, the new policy appears to be tossing a bone to each group involved with wetland issues: environmentalists got a promise that extensive Alaskan wetlands, left unprotected by the Bush Administration, will be saved; developers got the promise of a streamlined permitting process and a mechanism for appeals that doesn’t require going to court; and farmers got assurances that wetlands drained for farming before 1985 will not be subject to new regulations.