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Sackett v. EPA Decision is Out
On May 25th, the Supreme Court made a decision in the case that narrows the scope of the Clean Water Act by eliminating protections for wetlands, except in very limited circumstances.
The Court has embraced the extreme demands of big polluters, undoing protections that have safeguarded our waters for over 50 years. This places our communities, public health, and local ecosystems in danger – especially those most vulnerable to pollution and intensifying climate disasters. Congress and state officials across the country need to act fast to protect water bodies that our nation relies on for drinking, fishing, and fueling local economies.

Clean Water for All Members and Partners Respond to Sackett v. EPA Supreme Court Decision
Washinton, DC -- On May 25, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in the landmark environmental case Sackett v. EPA, which concerns the extent to which big polluters can bulldoze wetlands and dump waste into our streams. The opinion – delivered by Justice Alito...
In the Press:
Congressional Review Act Attack on the Clean Water Restoration Rule
In late December 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued its final Waters of the US (WOTUS) rule. This modest “Clean Water Restoration Rule” ensures that critical waters- from small streams to rivers to wetlands- are protected from unregulated pollution and destruction when they have important downstream effects on water quality
In April, there was an effort in Congress to overturn the new rule using the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which is a legislative tool that allows Congress to invalidate a recently-finalized agency rule and prevent any future administration from issuing a rule that is “substantially the same.” The CRA requires only a majority vote to pass in both chambers, and has expedited procedures that allow it to skip committee consideration and amendments in the Senate. The CRA is an incredibly blunt and dangerous tool with the potential to eliminate significant environmental and public health protections. See here for some resources on the CRA:

October 3rd, 2022 Rally and Day of Action

Clean Water Act 50th
Anniversary – Upstream, Downriver.
Resources
Revised Definition of Waters of the US Fact Sheet 2023
Webinar Recording: What’s at Stake in Sackett v. EPA
Clean Water Act on Trial: The Devastating Potential Consequences of Sackett v. EPA
NRDC: What You Need to Know about Sackett v. EPA
EarthJustice: In Sackett v. EPA SCOTUS Could Gut the CWA at Polluters’ Request
Environmental Protection Network report
River Network CWA Owners manual
NRDC Blog: Will the Supreme Court Go After Water Next?
The Waterkeeper Alliance Clean Water Act 50 Initiative
Waterkeepers Chesapeake CWA50 Resources
SELC News Feed: Champion Clean Water at the US Supreme Court
NWF: Five Decades of Water Report
Clean Water Act 50th Anniversary EPA Event
Media and Clips
USA Today: Robert Redford: Supreme Court should not dishonor 50th anniversary of Clean Water Act
CNN: Supreme Court Justices Skeptical of EPA’s Authority to Protect Wetlands from Pollution
Washington Post: Supreme Court debates narrowing protections in Clean Water Act
E&E News: Environmentalists Rally before Supreme Court
Boston Globe: American Horror Story: The Supreme Court
Strict Scrutiny Podcast: Limiting the Inevitable Damage
The Hill: The Clean Water Act turns 50 this week, it has never been more essential to our survival