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 | Jan 3, 2020
Car-free streets could become common in major cities
New York and San Francisco establish thoroughfares dedicated to transit, pedestrians.
Codes and Standards | Jan 2, 2020
CRE professionals have increased interest in embodied carbon accounting, smart buildings
Survey also shows that interest in resiliency lags behind.
Codes and Standards | Jan 2, 2020
White paper focuses on Metal Composite Material labeling
Document part of effort to uphold industry standards for the product.
Codes and Standards | Dec 18, 2019
Hard Rock Hotel collapse in New Orleans puts spotlight on undocumented workers
Having helped rebuild the city after Hurricane Katrina, many under threat of deportation.
Codes and Standards | Dec 18, 2019
Maryland lawmakers take on blocked sidewalks during construction projects
Legislation clarifies developers’ responsibilities.
Codes and Standards | Dec 18, 2019
New York City passes legislation to prevent bird strikes on buildings
Requires bird-safe materials on first 75 feet of a structure.
Codes and Standards | Dec 16, 2019
New Buildings Institute seeks entries for Zero Buildings Database
Listing illustrates feasibility of ultra low-energy buildings.
Codes and Standards | Dec 13, 2019
USGBC launches new tool to prioritize sustainability strategies
Highlights building design features that can lead to better performance.
Codes and Standards | Dec 12, 2019
Coalition calls for consistent building data disclosure regulations in Canada
Major real estate firms are driving the effort.
Codes and Standards | Dec 10, 2019
Utilities rolling out more grid-interactive efficient building programs
Focus is on energy savings and demand flexibility.