Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers Dump Sediment into Louisiana Wetlands, Lakes, and Gulf

The Swamp Stomp

Volume 15, Issue 24

Images taken from NASA’s MODIS satellite clearly show that the rising Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers are pouring an abundance of sediment into coastal wetlands, Lake Pontchartrain and other coastal lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Having been washed into the Mississippi River by a combination of rainfall and melting snow at farmlands across the Midwest and Ohio Valley, sediment is gushing into southern Louisiana. Officials hope to construct a series of diversions along the Mississippi River in the coming years to collect the increased amount of sediment that is expected to continue its journey south in future spring floods. The sediment would then be used to create new wetlands in order to nourish the existing wetlands.

30 percent of the Mississippi River’s water is diverted into the Atchafalaya River at the Old River Control Structure above Baton Rouge. Satellite imagery displays that the sediment is entering the Gulf of Mexico, which is where the majority of sediment is lost, through the Atchafalaya River’s mouth below Morgan City and through the Wax Lake Outlet to the west. The wetlands off of Wax Lake have been expanding south for over 40 years due to similar springtime flooding.

sedimentmap

While water levels remain below the official 17-foot flood stage for the city, the water levels have been high enough to pour a constant stream on sediment-laden water into the Bonnet Carre Spillway in St. Charles Parish. From there the sediment is carried into Lake Pontchartrain where it mainly settles on the lake’s southern shore. Increased sediment is also noticeably visible in Lake Maurepas.

When the river grew to 12.5 feet in New Orleans, water began to escape through the long wooden slats in concrete bays in the spillway structure. As a result, sediment from the spillway became visible in Lake Borgne, the Mississippi Sound, and along the Chandeleur Islands after it traveled through the Rigolets and Chef Menteur passes at the eastern end of the lake.

The West Bank also acts as a deposit zone for some sediment flowing through the Davis Pond freshwater diversion into Lake Cataouatche before entering Lake Salvador and Barataria Bay. The most visible amount of sediment, however, are along the east and west sides of the southern end of the river in Plaquemines Parish, with a broad stream flowing towards the Gulf of Mexico.

Despite this immense increase in sediment, criticism from oyster growers and commercial fishers remain against the plans to build the necessary diversions.

In response to such criticisms, Garret Graves, chairman of Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan, claimed, “People are out there making allegations that are not supported. . . We’re moving forward with the master plan. We’re moving forward with designing four of the largest diversions. And we’re building them.”

These diversions are expected to produce 300 square miles of new land by 2060, while other projects also in the master plan would create marshland using sediment collected from the Mississippi River. The master plan is still determining the best places to build projects that will allow the state to withstand water level heights in the coming century, but it seems apparent that these diversions are necessary to cope with the increased flooding expected in the coming years.

GOP Supports Obama’s Changes to Endangered Species Act

Swamp Stomp

Volume 15, Issue 23

President Obama has received rare support from Republicans, industry groups, and states for his changes to the Endangered Species Act. The joint rulemaking by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service would make decisions regarding the Act more efficient, collaborative, and transparent to the public. Democrats also hope that the changes will help mitigate conservatives in Congress who have vowed to overhaul the ESA.

Despite the law preventing over 99 percent of listed species from going extinct over the last four decades, those who criticize the law in Congress claim that it has failed to recover all but roughly two percent of endangered species.

The new rule proposed on May 19, 2015, creates a higher standard for petitions filed under the law to list new species as threatened or endangered, to change the species’ status, to delist species, or to change the boundaries of critical habitat. This will allow the agencies to focus more attention on species that truly warrant action.

Previously, either agency had 90 days to decide whether any of the petitions received contained sufficient information to indicate that action—either listing or delisting—was necessary. If a decision was made in the affirmative, then an additional twelve months was allocated to decide whether or not to propose a listing rule.

However, the sheer volume of petitions submitted by environmental groups in recent years has exceeded FWS’s capacity to respond to them, and has often landed in the agency in court. In the four years before signing a sweeping legal agreement with two separate green groups in 2011, the agency received petitions for over 1,230 species—a number that is just shy of the total amount received in the last thirty years.

In attempts to do away with “mega-petitions,” such as the one submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity and other environmental groups in April 2010 that listed 404 species, this new rule limits petitions to just one species at a time. “Mega-petitions” were often vaguely written and difficult to follow. This new rule requires that all petitions be organized on a species-by-species basis, so that each species can be given the attention it deserves.

Furthermore, petitions must now contain clear documentation of the threats to wildlife. Relevant information includes the following:

  • Literature citations that are specific enough for the agencies to find the information, including by page and chapter.
  • Electronic or hard copies of any supporting materials such as publications, maps, reports and letters cited in the petition, or valid links to public websites where the information can be found.
  • Information demonstrating that the petitioned wildlife meets ESA’s definition of a “species.”
  • Information on current population status and trends and estimates of current population sizes and distributions, both in captivity and the wild, if available.

 

If a petition is missing any of this information, then FWS will be able to return the petition.

The new rule defines “substantial scientific or commercial information” as information that “a reasonable person conducting an impartial scientific review would conclude that the action proposed in the petition may be warranted.”

“For example, a petition that states only that a species is rare and thus should be listed, without other credible information regarding its status, does not provide substantial information,” it says.

The rule also states that for a failed petition to be resubmitted, it must contain new information in support of its claim. It says, “These changes would improve the quality of petitions through expanded content requirements and guidelines; and in doing so; better focus the Services’ energies on petitions that merit further analysis.”

Speaking about the rule, Ryan Yates, Chairman of the National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition and Director of Congressional Relations at the American Farm Bureau, claimed, “While we are still reviewing the substance of the proposed rule, NESARC is pleased to see the Services recognize and take action to deter abusive petitioning practices. Requiring more detailed information as part of the submission of petitions and consultation with states will ensure that a more robust record is placed before the services.”

However, Rob Bishop, the House Natural Resources Committee Chairman, was more suspicious of the rule. He said, “The Obama administration admitted today that the process by which Endangered Species Act listing determinations are made is insufficient, and then asked the American people to trust them to fix the problem. I don’t buy it.”

Bishop’s concern was mirrored by Brian Seasholes, who directs the endangered species project at the libertarian Reason Foundation in Los Angeles. He said that the rule was “an extremely marginal step in the right direction. But the larger problem still remains that the Endangered Species Act harms conservation through its punitive approach.” He is concerned that the rule leaves federal wildlife managers with too much discretion, and fails to address the hundreds of species for which FWS is already issuing listing determinations.

While the step may not be all that is needed, it is an important step that all involved parties are happy to see be taken.

2015 Waters of the US Rule

The Swamp Stomp

Volume 15, Issue 22

On May 27, 2015 the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) released the official pre-publication of the new “waters of the US” rule. This rule will become effective 60 days from its publication in the Federal Register which is anticipated within a few days.

The new “waters” definition is a mere 9 pages long. The preamble and other related materials to be publish hover around 300 pages. The preamble provides further explanation of the rule in more technical detail.

In addition to the rule EPA and the COE have also published:

You have quite a bit of reading to do with well over 1,000 pages of reading material. To help you get started we have provided you with the basic “waters of the US” definition below. Over the next few weeks we will be diving into this and highlighting any salient points we think might help you get your head around this. We will also be offering a brand new webinar on July 9, 2015 on these new regulations.

To be clear, these regulations will become effective regardless of Congressional actions. The House Bill that passed and Senate Bill that’s still being kicked around would require the President’s approval to pass as an Act. He has clearly stated that he would veto any such legislation that would cross his desk. Consequently, there is nothing stopping this new regulation from being implemented in the next 60 days.

The new definition is as follows:

The term waters of the United States means:

(1) For purposes of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et. seq. and its implementing regulations, subject to the exclusions in paragraph (2) of this section, the term ‘‘waters of the United States’’ means:
(i) All waters which are currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide;
(ii) All interstate waters, including interstate wetlands;

(iii) The territorial seas;

(iv) All impoundments of waters otherwise identified as waters of the United States under this section;
(v) All tributaries, as defined in paragraph (3)(iii) of this section, of waters identified in paragraphs (1)(i) through (iii) of this section;

(vi) All waters adjacent to a water identified in paragraphs (1)(i) through (v) of this section, including wetlands, ponds, lakes, oxbows, impoundments, and similar waters;
(vii) All waters in paragraphs (A) through (E) of this paragraph where they are determined, on a case-specific basis, to have a significant nexus to a water identified in paragraphs (1)(i) through (iii) of this section. The waters identified in each of paragraphs
(A) through (E) of this paragraph are similarly situated and shall be combined, for purposes of a significant nexus analysis, in the watershed that drains to the nearest water identified in paragraphs (1)(i) through (iii) of this section. Waters identified in this paragraph shall not be combined with waters identified in paragraph (1)(vi) of this section when performing a significant nexus analysis. If waters identified in this paragraph are also an adjacent water under paragraph (1)(vi), they are an adjacent water and no case-specific significant nexus analysis is required.
(A) Prairie potholes. Prairie potholes are a complex of glacially formed wetlands, usually occurring in depressions that lack permanent natural outlets, located in the upper Midwest.
(B) Carolina bays and Delmarva bays. Carolina bays and Delmarva bays are ponded, depressional wetlands that occur along the Atlantic coastal plain.
(C) Pocosins. Pocosins are evergreen shrub and tree dominated wetlands found predominantly along the Central Atlantic coastal plain.
(D) Western vernal pools. Western vernal pools are seasonal wetlands located in parts of California and associated with topographic depression, soils with poor drainage, mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
(E) Texas coastal prairie wetlands. Texas coastal prairie wetlands are freshwater wetlands that occur as a mosaic of depressions, ridges, intermound flats, and mima mound wetlands located along the Texas Gulf Coast.
(viii) All waters located within the 100-year floodplain of a water identified in (1)(i) through (iii) of this section and all waters located within 4,000 feet of the high tide line or ordinary high water mark of a water identified in paragraphs (1)(i) through (v) of this section where they are determined on a case-specific basis to have a significant nexus to a water identified in paragraphs (1)(i) through (iii) of this section. For waters determined to have a significant nexus, the entire water is a water of the United States if a portion is located within the 100-year floodplain of a water identified in (1)(i) through (iii) of this section or within 4,000 feet of the high tide line or ordinary high water mark. Waters identified in this paragraph shall not be combined with waters identified in paragraph (1)(vi) of this section when performing a significant nexus analysis. If waters identified in this paragraph are also an adjacent water under paragraph (1)(vi), they are an adjacent water and no case-specific significant nexus analysis is required.

(2) The following are not “waters of the United States” even where they otherwise meet the terms of paragraphs (1)(iv) through (viii) of this section.
(i) Waste treatment systems, including treatment ponds or lagoons designed to meet the
requirements of the Clean Water Act.
(ii) Prior converted cropland. Notwithstanding the determination of an area’s status as prior converted cropland by any other Federal agency, for the purposes of the Clean Water Act, the final authority regarding Clean Water Act jurisdiction remains with EPA.
(iii) The following ditches:

(A) Ditches with ephemeral flow that are not a relocated tributary or excavated in a tributary.
(B) Ditches with intermittent flow that are not a relocated tributary, excavated in a tributary, or drain wetlands.
(C) Ditches that do not flow, either directly or through another water, into a water identified in paragraphs (1)(i) through (iii) of this section.
(iv) The following features:

(A) Artificially irrigated areas that would revert to dry land should application of water to that area cease;
(B) Artificial, constructed lakes and ponds created in dry land such as farm and stock watering ponds, irrigation ponds, settling basins, fields flooded for rice growing, log cleaning ponds, or cooling ponds;
(C) Artificial reflecting pools or swimming pools created in dry land;

(D) ) Small ornamental waters created in dry land;

(E) ) Water-filled depressions created in dry land incidental to mining or construction activity, including pits excavated for obtaining fill, sand, or gravel that fill with water;

(F) Erosional features, including gullies, rills, and other ephemeral features that do not meet the definition of tributary, non-wetland swales, and lawfully constructed grassed waterways; and
(G) ) Puddles.

(v) Groundwater, including groundwater drained through subsurface drainage systems.

(vi) Stormwater control features constructed to convey, treat, or store stormwater that are created in dry land.
(vii) Wastewater recycling structures constructed in dry land; detention and retention basins built for wastewater recycling; groundwater recharge basins; percolation ponds built for wastewater recycling; and water distributary structures built for wastewater recycling.

Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015

The Swamp Stomp

Volume 15, Issue 20

On April 30, 2015 the US House of Representatives voted (241-181) to pass H.R. 1732 – Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015.  This bill is now scheduled to move onto the Senate for a vote.  If they have the votes in the Senate it will move onto the President who as indicated that it will be vetoed.  To be frank this bill is entirely political and largely too little too late.  However there are some key points in this Bill that are worth discussing.

At the heart of the bill is the call for the complete cessation of rulemaking with regards to the definition of “waters of the US.” The Bill is broken down into three parts and is merely 12 pages long.  This is quite a relief as the Corps and EPA page count on the new “waters of the US” rule exceeds over 1,000 pages of text amongst a number of supporting documents.

2015-05-18_15-46-39

Section 1 is the title, “Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015.”  It is a bill to, “To preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the United States, and for other purposes.”

Section 2 calls for the withdrawal of the existing prosed rule.  “Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall withdraw the proposed rule described in the notice of proposed rule published in the Federal Register entitled ‘‘Definition of ‘Waters of the United States’ Under the Clean Water Act’’ (79 Fed. Reg. 22188 (April 21, 2014)) and any final rule based on such proposed rule (including RIN 2040–AF30).”

The few news agencies that have even bothered to pick up this story seem to end at this section.  You can check out the cutting edge news from places like Greenhouse Management, Springfield News Leader, Real Estate Rama, and the Daily Signal.  This does not make the front page of the NY Times by any stretch.  However, the next section in the bill is extremely interesting and a bit disturbing and largely undiscussed.

Section 3 calls for the development of a new proposed rule by the EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers.  It specifically requires that the Agencies consider public comments, review and economic analysis of the rules and incorporate the “scientific” analysis done by the EPA “Science” Advisory Board.

I use big quotes when describing this report as scientific.  No scientific study was conducted.  The report is merely a mediocre cut and paste job of selected papers written by others.

The Bill does add two new dimensions to the process that thus far have not happened.  It designates the States and local officials as stakeholders and requires that their input be considered.  Many States already have afforded “waters of the State” protection to non-Federal jurisdictional waters.  This new provision in the Bill alleviates that awkward aspect of the Clean Water Act that provides for the State to establish jurisdiction over waters (Section 404 (g) of the CWA).  The states would relinquish their role in establishing jurisdiction to the federal government by enjoining themselves in the new process as stakeholders.  This would be as opposed to the current situation wherein they  self govern.  So much for state’s rights.

The second and most significant point in the entire Bill is that the Agencies must consider the rulings of the Supreme Court when crafting the new rules.  To be even more frank, I cannot believe that such a provision would have to be added to a Bill.  If the government adopts rules that are inconsistent with the Supreme Court’s rulings it is by definition unconstitutional.  The Supreme Court has ruled that the US government does not have universal reach in what it claims to be “waters of the US.”  The 2001 SWANCC decision is at the heart of the EPA/Corps “waters of the US” rule.

In 2001, The Supreme Court confirmed that there are some waters that are beyond the reach of federal jurisdiction.  In the preamble of the proposed EPA/Corps rule, the Agencies state that it was always the position of Congress that all wetlands are jurisdictional.  However, in 2001 the Supreme Court ruled that this is not the case.  Is it appropriate for the Agencies to speak for Congress and defy the Supreme Court?

In the 2012 Sackett case, Supreme Court Justice Alito called out Congress to show some leadership and develop a reasonably clear rule defining “waters of the US.”   This latest Bill is a far cry from that.  It basically goes back to the same two Agencies and asks them to start the entire process again using the same data set and expecting a different result.  You may recall what Albert Einstein said about the definition of insanity.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

At the heart of this entire mess is a clear lack of leadership.  Our elected representatives need to step up and stop hiding behind the Agencies to solve this problem.  It is the job on Congress to establish the limit of Federal jurisdiction and not the Agencies.  The Executive branch administers the laws as passed by the Legislative branch.  In all fairness to the Executive branch, these “waters” rules are not clear and it is understandable why they would seek clarity.  However, designating a private landowner’s property as being “of the US” is perhaps something left to the democratic process rather than mandated by a Federal Agency.

The need for clear rules about what is subject to federal jurisdiction is needed.  Our current rules are confusing and seem to keep heading to court.  However, in my humble opinion these rules should come from the consent of the governed rather than being mandated by the government for our own good.  It was just a few years ago when our government suggested that pouring oil on a wetland was a good idea for the control of mosquitoes.    See if you can find a copy of the “Winged Scourge” which was a government produced public information movie.   It was the governed that stood against this practice and had it repealed.  In the end it is the wisdom of the people rather than the whims of politics that shape our laws.  Politics is about pleasing the masses to maintain power.  Wisdom is the recognition of truth.

Have a great week!

– Marc

 

Compromise over Construction by Rhode Island Wetlands Reached

The Swamp Stomp

Volume 15, Issue 19

Rhode Island has received support from both the construction industry and environmentalists over a new statewide regulation that would change the required distance for construction near wetlands. If approved, this new standard would permit construction much closer to wetlands in six Rhode Island communities, and gift the state rule over deciding on zoning exemptions.

Currently, a 50-foot no-build zone acts as the default benchmark for the state, but 24 communities use different buffer standards. Areas in Barrington, Burrillville, Charlestown, Middletown, North Smithfield, and Tiverton all have setbacks, the required distance between construction and wetlands, of up to 200 feet. This new proposed standard, however, would change the state setback to 100 feet from lakes and ponds, and 200 feet from rivers, streams, and reservoirs.

All coastal wetland permits would still be managed by the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), which already requires a 200-foot setback, but all other wetland permits would fall under state jurisdiction.

Both the construction industry and environmentalists agree that the proposed tradeoffs are worth the end result. The construction industry looks forward to having universal setbacks across the state, as well as having a single location, the Department of Environmental Management (DEM), to file permit paperwork and seek exemptions. Environmentalists, on the other hand, like that new water sources, such as streams, vernal pools, and areas near floodplains, would be designated as wetlands.

On March 25, 2015, during a Senate Committee on the Environmental and Agriculture hearing, Janet Coit, DEM director, claimed, “It increases protection and eliminates a municipal level of permitting process.”

The proposal is a result of five years of failed attempts by the Rhode Island Builders Association (RIBA) to establish universal setback standards and speed up the permitting process. Concerned about losing open space, diminishing water quality, and damaging vital ecosystems, environmentalists have opposed changes proposed in the past.

Despite this opposition, the “dry-lands bill” was passed in 2013 that created a study commission to develop changes to the standard. Negotiations between the construction industry, biologists, civil engineers, and state environmental agencies and municipalities then occurred for over a year. These efforts resulted in the new proposal that is agreed upon by all effect parties.

Tom Kutcher of Save the Bay served as one of the scientists on the task force. While he claims that the gold standard for wetlands buffers is about 500 feet, he acknowledges that the proposed legislation improves protection over the status quo.

“What’s in the bill falls short of full wetlands protection. It falls short of what the science says what should protect wetlands,” Kutcher said. “But we recognize that there is a compromise between entire wetlands protection and having something we could come to a consensus on.”

During the recent Senate meeting, construction advocates praised the new proposal as it will prevent what they perceived to be arbitrary rules and a general resistance to development that prevented permits from being attained.

Timothy Stasiunas of RIBA claimed, “This type of scenario has contributed to the lost decade . . . that has plagued our economy for years, if not decades.” He continued to claim that the new standards will lead the state out of recession.

The proposed legislation does not fully protect wetlands, but it is a compromise that will provide better protection than is currently being administered.

Small Wetlands Prove Pivotal to Greater Ecosystem Functions

The Swamp Stomp

Volume 15, Issue 18

Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario recently released a study supporting the EPA’s proposed rule for protecting discontinuous wetlands. The study demonstrated that smaller marshy areas function better when acting as part of a group.

These small wetlands create interconnected pockets that together form a mosaic-esc landscape and allow for unique habitats and safe breeding grounds for species such as salamanders and migratory birds. Traditional wetlands conservation projects often overlook the significance of such functions, and focus solely on preserving total wetland area. When this happens, the larger ecosystem suffers due to the lack of consideration given to different wetland types.

Published in Ecological Applications, a peer-reviewed journal, the study shows a strong and steady decline of wetlands, with smaller detached wetlands fronting the majority of the blow. While the number of larger wetlands continue to decrease as well, the rate of smaller wetlands is much greater.

Doctoral student Kim Van Meter and Professor Nandita Basu from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the Faculty of Science argue that not only have large quantities of smaller isolated wetlands been drained, but those wetlands that have survived suffered extensive perimeter loss due to the shape of the wetland becoming much simpler.

Basu also released another paper in the journal Bioscience, that described how these small and geographically isolated wetlands act as landscape filters. Do to being located on the outer edges of ecosystems, these wetlands are able to prevent excess nutrients, sediments, and contaminants from flowing into larger waterways.

Regrettably, many restoration efforts only focus their attention on restoring wetland area without taking into consideration the type or size of the wetland being restored. While it is important to restore wetlands, it is equally important to restore the natural filtration systems that will help protect the restored wetlands.

“We didn’t expect to see such a strong, preferential loss of smaller wetlands,” claimed Basu, who is also a member of the Water Institute. “It’s not just a local phenomenon. Smaller wetlands are the least protected under most environmental regulations.”

Van Meter added, “Many people would say ‘What’s the big deal if we drain this small area’. But these smaller wetlands are integral to a larger wetland network.”

Van Meter and Basu used several high-resolution remote sensing images, elevation data, and the U.S. National Wetlands Inventory database in their paper to compare historical wetland areas with current boundaries in the Des Moines Lobe section of the Prairie Pothole Region.

Since European settlers arrived more than two centuries ago, the region has lost over 90 percent of its wetlands. Van Meter claimed that while the study pertains strictly to the prairie region, the problem extends to all regions. In Ontario, between 70 and 80 percent of wetlands have ceased to exist since the 1800’s.

Basu and Van Meter hold the belief that current restoration approaches can and must be dramatically improved. They expect to expand the framework they used in the report to southern Ontario and incorporate the results into a modeling tool in order to assist decision makers maximize restoration processes, and decide which areas ought to be preserved.

Owners Whose Property is Labeled “Wetlands” May Seek Judicial Review

The Swamp Stomp

Volume 15, Issue 17

The Army Corps of Engineers named property in Minnesota owned by The Hawkes Co., Inc., Pierce Investment Company, and LPF Properties as “wetlands” under a “Jurisdictional Determination.” This decision meant that the Corps gained regulatory authority over the land. The companies, however, appealed and brought a legal challenge over the regulatory finding.

The appeal, spearheaded by Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) representatives, argues that Jurisdictional Determinations, “wetlands” designations under the Clean Water Act, are final agency actions subject to judicial review.

This latest attempt to appeal decisions about what properties deserve to be labeled “wetlands” follows the Sackett v. EPA landmark decision in 2012, whereby the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that if the EPA effectively seizes control of private property by declaring it as “wetlands,” then the landowners hold the right to a direct and meaningful judicial review.

The case was a result of the EPA issuing a “compliance” order directing Mike and Chantell Sackett to immediately stop the construction of their house, and to return the land to EPA standards. The Sackett’s land is 500 feet away from Priest Lake in Idaho, and the two are separated by another house and a road. It would have cost the Sacketts $27,000—$4,000 more than they paid for the land—in order to comply with the order.

When describing the process, Mike Sackett claimed, “As this nightmare went on, we rubbed our eyes and started to wonder if we were living in some totalitarian country.” This message was echoed by his wife, who said, “Bullying—that’s what the EPA does. They came into our lives, took our property, put us in limbo, told us we can’t do anything with it, and then threatened us with fines.”

Despite being told by the EPA that they could not get a direct court review, and if they failed to obey the “compliance” order then they would be charged with fines of up to $75,000 per day, the Sacketts appealed and won.

Damien Schiff, PLF Principal Attorney, said afterwards, “EPA is not above the law. That’s the bottom line with today’s ruling.” Mr. Sackett then added, “The EPA used bullying and threats of terrifying fines, and has made our life hell for the past five years. Now the Supreme Court has come to our rescue.”

Following this precedent that allows landowners to appeal directly to the judiciary from a federal wetlands “compliance order,” PLF, arguing on behalf of the Hawkes Co., Inc., Pierce Investment Company, and LPF Properties, convinced the Supreme Court to rule that landowners hold the right to judicial review when federal regulators label their land as “wetlands” subject to federal control.

M. Reed Hopper, PLF Principal Attorney, said, “This historic ruling is great news for everyone who values accountability in government and Americans’ access to justice. When Clean Water Act officials assert control over someone’s private property, they should be prepared to defend, in court, their claim that the property is, in fact, jurisdictional wetlands. Their decisions should not be insulated from scrutiny and examination, as if the regulators were a law unto themselves.”

This ruling underscores the importance of keeping accurately documented wetland delineations. Now, any project may end up in court to be reviewed, and the delineator will need to defend their work by presenting proper and up to date paperwork.

EPA to Release Final Clean Water Rule

Swamp Stomp

Volume 15, Issue 16

On April 6, 2015, Gina McCarthy and Jo-Ellen Darcy of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a blog post claiming that public concern over the Clean Water proposal is helping to shape the final rule.

A draft of the rule was sent to the Office of Management and Budget on April 3, 2015 for interagency review. McCarthy refused to divulge what changes were made to the rule. She said, “Since it’s not final yet, we can’t speak to every detail.”

However, McCarthy did claim that the “spirit of the rule” can be reduced to three simple facts. “First,” she said, “people depend on clean water: one in three Americans get their drinking water from streams currently lacking clear protection.”

“Second, our economy depends on clean water: manufacturing, farming, ranching, tourism, recreation, and other major economic sectors need clean water to function and flourish,” she continued.

“Third, our cherished way of life depends on clean water: healthy ecosystems support precious wildlife habitat and pristine places to hunt, fish, boat, and swim.”

The draft of the Clean Water Rule was first released a year ago. Over one million public comments from farmers, ranchers, manufactures, business owners, hunters and anglers, and many others have since made their way to the EPA. McCarthy assured the public that “in the final rule, people we see that we (the EPA) made changes based on those comments, consistent with the law and science.”

Then, without disclosing any specific aspects of the newly drafted rule, McCarthy did share in the blog post the following points that the EPA were considering when writing rule:

  • Better defining how protected waters are significant. A key part of the Clean Water Rule is protecting water bodies, like streams and wetlands, which have strong impacts downstream – the technical term is “significant nexus.” We will respond to requests for a better description of what connections are important under the Clean Water Act and how agencies make that determination.
  • Defining tributaries more clearly. We’ve heard feedback that our proposed definition of tributaries was confusing and ambiguous, and could be interpreted to pick up erosion in a farmer’s field, when that’s not our aim. So we looked at ways to refine that definition, be precise about the streams we’re talking about, and make sure there are bright lines around exactly what we mean.
  • Providing certainty in how far safeguards extend to nearby waters. The rule will protect wetlands that are situated next to protected waterways like rivers and lakes, because science shows us they impact downstream waters. We will provide a clear definition about what waters are considered adjacent waters.
  • Being specific in the protection of the nation’s regional water treasures. We heard concerns that the category we called “other waters” in the rule was too broad and undefined. We’ve thought through ways to be more specific about the waters that are important to protect, instead of what we do now, which too often is for the Army Corps to go through a long, complicated, case by case process to decide whether waters are protected.
  • Focusing on tributaries, not ditches. We’re limiting protection to ditches that function like tributaries and can carry pollution downstream—like those constructed out of streams. Our proposal talked about upland ditches, and we got feedback that the word “upland” was confusing, so we’ll approach ditches from another angle.
  • Preserving Clean Water Act exclusions and exemptions for agriculture. We will protect clean water without getting in the way of farming and ranching. Normal agriculture practices like plowing, planting, and harvesting a field have always been exempt from Clean Water Act regulation; this rule won’t change that at all.
  • Maintaining the status of waters within Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems. Some state and local governments raised questions about waters within these permitted systems. We listened carefully as we did not intend to change how those waters are treated and have considered ways to address this concern. We will also continue to encourage the use of creative solutions like green infrastructure and low-impact development, as many of these communities have advocated.

It is surprising that while many of these considerations deal with clarifying issues, none of the changes made to the rule were publicly released. Instead, the EPA sent the rule to the White House for review. It is expected that this final rule will be passed in a matter of weeks, allowing no time for public comment. Considerations and intent are valuable, but not as valuable as the specific words written in the rule. By sending the rule for official review without releasing any specifics, and not opening the rule up for any public comment, the EPA has simply worked around public opinion and will have a rule passed that may or may not be similar to the one previously proposed.

EPA Admit “Waters of the U.S.” Could Have Been Handled Better

Swamp Stomp

Volume 15, Issue 15

During the National Farmers Union convention in Wichita on March 16, 2015, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy expressed regret about how the EPA handled the controversial “Waters of the U.S.” rules.

Following U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, McCarthy spent the majority of her 30-minute speech claiming that she wished her agency had done a better job of explaining how EPA defined which bodies of water were regulated under the Clean Water Act.

McCarthy asserted, “I’m really concerned that we weren’t crystal clear out of the gate, not just about what we intended to do but about what we intended not to do, because it left all kinds of room for people to wonder not just what the words said but what we are trying to accomplish.”

Despite her regret over how the effects of rule were communicated, however, McCarthy is adamant that the EPA’s end goal will be met and the final rule be issued.  She said that the rule is currently on its way to the Office of Management and Budget and is expected to be issued this spring.

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After recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, EPA is currently rewriting the rule, but McCarthy remains adamant that the need for the rule is clear. However, she did attempt to clarify what the rule would and would not intend to do. She provided the following assurances:

  • In response to numerous criticisms, McCarthy assured the public that EPA would not regulate puddles, land, or Fourth of July fireworks.
  • Addressing the worry that regulating “tributaries” could mean just about anything, McCarthy stated that EPA has established clearer definitions.
  • The rule does not include erosional features.
  • McCarthy claimed that roadside and irrigational ditches are not included, but ditches that are natural and constructed streams that can carry pollution downstream and act like tributaries are included.
  • Waters initially labeled as “other waters”—a term McCarthy conceded was too ill-defined—are in the process of being more narrowly stated by officials using their “best judgment.” However, the results of clarifying vague terms with even vaguer qualifications will most likely do little to quell concerns.

The main message of McCarthy’s speech was that farming and ranching should remain unaffected by the rule. “The exclusions and exemptions for agriculture . . . this rule we will not touch,” she said.

During Vilsack’s address, farm productivity was a major talking point. Farmers today are 12 times more productive then they were in 1950. Subsequently, Americans only spend 10 percent of their income on food, 15 to 20 percent less than many of the other countries in the world.

Vilsack also raised many concerns, including how to best introduce the next generation of farmer to the profession, labeling country origin of beef and pork in supermarkets, and how to best develop tools and support conservation and local agriculture, such as farmers markets.

“This isn’t just about farming. This isn’t just about agriculture. This is about rural life and maintaining the value system alive and well in the rural communities.”

While Vilsack is not forwardly addressing the “Waters of the U.S.” rule, he is assisting McCarthy paint an image of what the rule intends to do. The ambiguity of McCarthy’s speech did little to rid farmers and ranchers of their concerns, and her acknowledgment that the rule was not communicated as well as it could have been is somewhat diminished by “clarifying” points with terms that themselves are ambiguous.

 

New Mapping of Great Lakes’ Wetlands

Swamp Stomp

Volume 15, Issue 14

A new and comprehensive map of the Great Lake region’s coastal wetlands has been released by the Michigan Tech Research Institute that manipulates fluorescent bands of color to outline the great lakes. This new map is the first of its kind applied to such a broad scale, and is the only one that outmaneuvers political boundaries by displaying both Canadian and US wetlands along the more than 10,000 miles of shoreline.

The Michigan Technological University focuses a great deal of attention on the Great Lakes, and this coastal map is evidence of years of work expanding on previous maps created through the Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI).

Laura Bourgeau-Chavez, MTRI research scientist and the project leader for the wetlands map, claimed that having a standard method of mapping all of the regions wetlands, free of any inconsistencies that could affect data analysis and the implementation of management strategies, was crucial. She said, “This is the first map to span the entire basin, and it’s important to have a consistent map over the entire area.” She continued to claim that inconsistencies occur “if you don’t know the accuracy of the map or how it’s changing from one place to another.”

Wetlands are effect by a lot of change each year, some natural changes, but mainly as a result of human interaction. Bourgeau-Chavez asserted, “We’ve lost more than 50 percent of coastal wetlands in the Great Lakes over the past century. The wetlands are very important because they serve as filtration as well as habitat—and a lot of them are being degraded.”

The map uses satellites that are orbiting at roughly 200 miles above the earth’s surface to map the wetlands using remote sensing, a term used to represent imagery and measurement techniques collectively. By studying the area from a distance, a lot of ground is able to be covered quickly and easily.

Bourgeau-Chavez and her team used three-season PALSAR remote sensing data, a 23 cm wavelength Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). SAR is especially helpful for mapping wetlands because the technique is capable of distinguishing flooded ground, vegetation’s vertical structure, soil moisture, and the total mass of vegetation. All of these wetland aspects may vastly differ between seasons, so the satellite data was collected in each season except winter.

Remote sensing is not foolproof, however. Mixed readings, caused by overlapping pixels in data, blurred some of the maps boundaries, and, subsequently, made vegetation difficult to distinguish. Therefore, Bourgeau-Chavez and her team supplemented the remote sensing data with extensive field checking at over 1,400 separate field sites. It is only through field visits that the predominant vegetation, which is important for tracking invasive species like Phragmites and cattails, can be verified.

Field visits also allowed the researchers to map the different types of wetlands that were not separated by remote sensing. For example, the map displays peatlands as separate wetlands, because the bogs are sometimes mined for peat, and, therefore, contain large amounts of carbon.

Bourgeau-Chavez says, “An emergent wetland that doesn’t have any, or very little, peat at the surface is very different from a peatland with peat that is meters deep.”

There are many other factors considered in land use management other than monitoring urban and agricultural proximity, invasive species, and different water types, so a variety of uses were incorporated into the mapping interface. Viewers are also able to simply view the data they are searching for by clicking on the button below the legend.

Susan Hedman, EPA’s Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager, said, “This Great Lakes Restoration Initiative project—made possible by an EPA grant—produced updated coastal wetlands maps that will help the United States and Canada better target efforts to restore critical habitats and to protect native aquatic and terrestrial spaces in the Great Lakes Basin.”

This map is a step forward in attempts to accurately map out constantly changing wetlands. The satellite imagery is able to stay up-to-date with changes to the region, and thus keep pace with the changing terrain.