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 | Sep 5, 2018
New White Paper on Metal Panel Fire Safety Released
Has detailed information for insulation, fire safety requirements in U.S., other countries.
Codes and Standards | Aug 31, 2018
Trade war could make adaptive reuse more attractive
Higher cost of building materials could make rehab a better financial bet.
Codes and Standards | Aug 30, 2018
Metrics should guide strategy for schools seeking LEED certification
Assessing current status helps direct where improvements can have greatest impact.
Codes and Standards | Aug 29, 2018
The 2018 IAPMO solar and swimming pool codes now available
For installation and inspection of public and private swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs.
Codes and Standards | Aug 28, 2018
New York’s green roof program needs reform
Despite incentives, few owners add vegetative roofs.
Codes and Standards | Aug 24, 2018
Resilience, sustainability emphasized in plans for new 23,000-acre city in the Philippines
“A backup for when Manila fails.”
Codes and Standards | Aug 23, 2018
Cities promote deconstruction of old homes with mixed results
Market factors complicate efforts to recycle material from old structures.
Codes and Standards | Aug 22, 2018
Oregon is first state to change building code to allow tall mass timber buildings
Statewide alternate method allows early technical consideration and approval.
Codes and Standards | Aug 21, 2018
First mass timber panel made from structural composite lumber gets APA certification
Said to be much more cost effective than CLT options.
Codes and Standards | Aug 17, 2018
Zoning changes can be crucial to filling large, empty retail spaces
Alternative uses often require action by local officials.
