WOTUS
SWS Joins Other Aquatic Science Societies in Calling Upon Biden to Restore Science-based WOTUS Rule
SWS Membership Benefits American Fisheries Society • Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography • Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation • Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society • International Association for Great Lakes Research • North American Lake Management Society • Phycological Society of America • Society for Freshwater Science • Society of Wetland Scientists …
Read MoreSWS joins other societies in filing Amici brief in District of Massachusetts
SWS Membership Benefits The Society of Wetland Scientists joined eight other national and international scientific societies, who are all actively involved in research, education, conservation and restoration of aquatic resources and ecosystems in filing an Amici Brief in the District of Massachusetts in support of The Conservation Law Foundation suit against the EPA to repeal the new definition of the Waters of…
Read MoreWOTUS Rulings – Good news in Colorado and disappointing news in California
SWS Membership Benefits Colorado Some good news: the rule appears to be enjoined in Colorado (where judge did not permit amici briefs): https://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/desktop/document/StateofColoradoThevUSEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyetalDocketNo120/4?1592664339 California The Court denied the motion for a preliminary injunction, and the Navigable Waters Protection Rule will go into effect on Monday. Here is the order: https://sws.org/images/pdfs/CA_v_Wheeler_PI_decision.pdf Categories Biofuel CASS Chapter News Clean Water…
Read MoreNew proposed rule posted, comment period ends April 15
SWS Membership Benefits The revised WOTUS Definition Proposed by the Engineers Corps and the Environmental Protection Agency was posted to the Federal Register on February 14. The document has a comment period that ends April 15, 2019. SWS WOTUS Comment Letter Science Societies WOTUS Comment Letter Request for 200-day Comment Period Categories Biofuel CASS Chapter News Clean…
Read MoreSWS and Scientific Societies comment on EPA proposed Rule to update Clean Water Act regulations on water quality certification
SWS Membership Benefits SWS and eight other scientific societies submitted comment letters on October 21, 2019 in opposition to the EPA’s proposed rule “Updating Regulations on Water Quality Certification” https://www.epa.gov/cwa-401/updating-regulations-water-quality-certification. The proposed rule provides no scientific basis for how it would contribute to upholding the mandate of the Clean Water Act to restore and maintain the…
Read MoreSWS WOTUS comment letter
SWS Membership Benefits Dear Administrator Wheeler and Mr. James, On behalf of the Society of Wetland Scientists and representing 3,000+ wetland and aquatic science professionals, we respectfully submit the following comments in response to your solicitation regarding the proposed Rule “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States” (proposed Rule) (84 FR 4154; Docket ID…
Read MoreScience Societies WOTUS Comment Letter
SWS Membership Benefits Dear Administrator Wheeler and Assistant Secretary James: On behalf of the undersigned science societies, we respectfully submit the following comments in response to the proposed Rule “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States” (proposed Rule) (84 FR 4154; Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2018-0149), published in the Federal Register on February 14, 2019.The…
Read MoreRequest for 200-day comment period
SWS Membership Benefits Dear Administrator Wheeler, On behalf of the Society of Wetland Scientists, representing approximately 3000 members, we respectfully request that EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers extend the public comment period from 60 days to a minimum of 200 days in length for the proposed rule “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of…
Read MoreSWS joins other aquatic science societies in opposing the WOTUS Rule to replace the 2015 Clean Water Rule
SWS Membership Benefits The EPA and US Army Corps of Engineers issued a proposed Rule to replace the 2015 Clean Water Rule, which will greatly reduce the area of wetlands, headwaters, ephemeral and isolated wetlands and waters that are federally protected. SWS members who wish to comment on this Rule will have 60 days to submit comments once…
Read MoreSouth Carolina U.S. District Court issues nationwide injunction rendering CWR Suspension Rule void
SWS Membership Benefits The U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina found that the Trump administration improperly suspended the Clean Water Rule (Read the Order). Specifically, the Court held that (1) the EPA and Corps violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) by refusing to solicit public comment on the merits of suspending the…
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