The Environmental Protection Agency recently said it would repeal a rule that weakened pollution controls for wetlands and streams enacted by the Trump Administration.
The so-called “Waters of the United States” rule enacted in the Obama era extended environmental protections for millions of streams, marshes, and other bodies of water across the nation. The EPA said it has found that the rollback of the protections under Trump caused “significant environmental degradation.”
The problem is most acute in arid states in the southwest, where nearly all of more than 1,500 streams lost environmental protections, according to the E.P.A. The agency stands a greater chance of defending the more stringent rules against legal challenges by moving forward early in Biden’s term, said a professor of environmental law at New York University interviewed in a New York Times report.
The original Obama-era rule extended the range of bodies of water subject to the 1972 Clean Water Act. It protected about 60% of the nation’s waterways, limiting discharge of fertilizers, pesticides, and industrial chemicals into those waters. It also limited development close to protected waterways.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Oct 26, 2018
Tall Mass Timber code proposals approved at Intl. Code Council public comment hearings
Proposals now go to online voting; final outcome expected in December.
Codes and Standards | Oct 25, 2018
Low-income neighborhoods could benefit most from green roofs
Those areas face the biggest risk from extreme heat.
Codes and Standards | Oct 24, 2018
Building design critical to prevent school shootings
Safety must be balanced with welcoming environment.
Codes and Standards | Oct 23, 2018
Codes in Florida Panhandle made buildings vulnerable to Hurricane Michael
Less stringent codes in northern parts of state linked to devastation.
Codes and Standards | Oct 19, 2018
Global Green Tag production certification standard will launch in U.S. at end of year
Australian program recognized by WELL, claims compliance with LE.
Codes and Standards | Oct 18, 2018
Federally-backed rebuilding of public buildings often leaves them vulnerable to future storms
FEMA dollars pay for reconstruction, but local decision-makers ignore climate change impacts.
Codes and Standards | Oct 17, 2018
Philadelphia plumbing code will now allow for more use of plastic pipes in high rises
Of the 50 largest U.S. cities, Philadelphia is one of just six that still require metal pipes.
Codes and Standards | Oct 16, 2018
New Disaster Recovery Reform Act will support adoption of updated building codes
Provides incentives for communities to modernize and enforce codes.
Codes and Standards | Oct 12, 2018
Boston ‘housing emergency’ prompts regional initiative for new residential construction
Mayors of 15 cities set goal of 185,000 new homes by 2030.
Codes and Standards | Oct 11, 2018
On-site staff key to energy benchmarking project for property management company
Manager training, data sharing are critical to meeting 20% utility cost reduction goal.
