The EPA Lee Zeldin administrator announced today that the Agency will start an EPA review and redefine the “United States Water” to be certain that the agency can be in accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision in 2023, which limited the implementation of the Pure Water Act.
The Pure Water Act is the widest federal water protection law and prohibits pollution in “navigable waters” – whose definition has long been controversial. . 2023 Supreme Court decision He explained this definition as only those waters which can be described as “streams, oceans, rivers and lakes”, aside from wetlands that are usually not consistently related to these water reservoirs and open the door to the weaker protection of wetlands throughout the country.
The decision from 2023 introduced the frustration by scientists who argued that the latest and more severe definition of protected waters ignored the scientific consensus and disregarded the Pure Water Act itself. One evaluation From the Environmental Defense Fund, Non -Profit and Environmental Spa, she estimated that up to 90 million acres of wetlands could possibly be threatened with federal protection in consequence of a decision.
“The definition of” Waters of the Waters of the United States “of the previous administration imposed unfair burden on the American nation and increased the costs of conducting business,” said Zeldin Wa press release. The press release also stated that “Until now, EPA has not observed the law and implemented the explicit recognition of the Supreme Court”, in actual fact, EPA Biden Administration modified his own definition “Waters of the United States” to comply with the decision 2023.
It is not clear how the upcoming definition of Zeldin will differ from the previous administration. In the press release, EPA said that she would search for the contribution of “stakeholders who were removed to the side during the previous administration”, referring mainly to farmers and ranch.
“Our goal is to protect American water resources consistent with land, while strengthening American farmers, landowners, entrepreneurs and family to help in the return of the Great American,” wrote Zeldin in a press release.
—Navia van deelen (@gvd.bsky.social), Personnel author
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