The EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are proposing a new rule to ensure more effective wetlands restoration and preservation nationwide. The agencies' rule proposes improved science and results-oriented standards to increase the quality and effectiveness of wetlands conservation practices under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

“We are accelerating the pace of wetlands restoration and conservation,” said Benjamin H. Grumbles, an EPA assistant administrator for water. “Today's action, which emphasizes the best available science, promotes innovation and focuses on results will help our nation meet the president's ambitious wetlands goal, while promoting flexibility and accountability.”

Because wetlands play such a critical role in the environment, a project proposed to be built in wetlands is first subject to review by the Corps and EPA under the CWA. Consistent with the goal of no net loss of wetlands, this review often requires a developer to restore or create a wetland to replace the one that was impacted by the project.

Links

• For more information regarding compensatory mitigation and how to provide comments on the proposed standards, visit www.epa.gov/wetlandsmitigation.
• Information about the importance of wetlands is available at www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands.