The Supreme Court’s Sackett v EPA decision has resulted in a significant reduction in the scope of federal protections for wetlands. Under this ruling, wetlands are now required to exhibit a continuous surface connection to traditional water bodies such as navigable rivers and lakes to fall under federal jurisdiction. This legal development has raised concerns about potential wetland loss, which EPA is estimating to impact 63% of all wetland acres.
Director Melissa Scanlan and Water Policy Specialist Rajpreet Grewal emphasized the need for state-level policymakers to reconsider and possibly reinstate wetland protections, acknowledging the broader implications of this legal shift – in an interview on WUWM 89.7 FM – Milwaukee’s NPR’s Morning Edition and Lake Effect.
You can listen to the full Morning Edition interview here, and the short Lake Effect feature here.