Category: Newsletter

Beavers Helpful Rebuilding Wetlands

Swamp Stomp

Volume 17, Issue 38

A new study researched in Scotland reveals beavers’ ability to engineer desolate land into thriving wetlands.

Four beavers were re-introduced to the land and observed for a decade. The observations found that the beavers created almost 200m of dams, 500m of canals and an acre of ponds. The landscape was “almost unrecognizable” from the original field, which now includes an increase plant species of almost 50% and richly varied habitats established across the 30 acre site.

The researchers say that their study is solid evidence that beavers can be a low-cost option in restoring wetlands, an important and biodiverse habitat that has lost two-thirds of its worldwide extent since 1900.

“Wetlands also serve to store water and improve its quality – they are the ‘kidneys of the landscape’,” said Professor Nigel Willby, at Stirling University and one of the study team. Earlier research by the team showed how beaver dams can slow water flows, reducing downstream flood risk and water pollution.

Beavers build dams in order to create pools in which they can shelter from their biggest predators, besides humans. These predators are bears, wolves and wolverines. The research was published in the journal Science of the Total Environment. The site was regularly surveyed and located near Blairgowrie in Tayside where two beavers were released in 2002 and began to breed in 2006. The lifespan of beavers is 10-15 years in the wild and the average number of beavers around during the study was four.

“After 12 years of habitat engineering by beaver, the study site was almost unrecognisable from its initial state,” the scientists concluded: “The reintroduction of such species may yet prove to be the missing ingredient in successful and sustainable long-term restoration of wetland landscapes.”

Alan Law, another member of the team from Stirling University, said: “We know lots about the benefits of beavers in natural settings, but until now we did not know the full extent of what they can achieve in present-day landscapes where restoration is most needed.”

He said wetland restoration usually involves ditch blocking and mowing or grazing to maintain diversity: “Beavers offer an innovative, more hands-off, solution to the problem of wetland loss. Seeing what beavers can do for our wetlands and countryside highlights the diverse landscape we have been missing for the last 400 years.”

The downside to using beavers to revitalize landscapes is that it has to be carefully managed to deal with the potential impacts on farmers, who fear crops being raided by beavers and damage to embankments that protect low-lying fields and other areas from floods.

“Any species introduction, particularly if it has not been in this country for hundreds of years, can have a massive impact on the many benefits that the countryside delivers,” said Mark Pope, chair of the National Farmers Union’s environment forum. “The impact of beavers is assessed across the whole landscape considering the impacts on all land uses. This study is just one piece of that big jigsaw. We need to learn from Scotland’s experiences before any decisions are taken on the future status of beavers.”

There is also concern about the impact of beaver dams on salmon and other fish. The fear is that beavers might block migration upstream. But Wilby said: “The main conclusions from recent studies were that the overall effect of beavers was positive.” This is because greater biodiversity provides more food for the fish and the deeper pools maintain stable cool water temperatures, even as the climate warms.

“I think as long as beavers have plenty of space to form a decent number of territories, there are enormous potential benefits,” said Wliby. “Sometimes the negative views of farmers can dominate.”

Source: Carrington, Damian. “Eager Beavers Experts at Recreating Wildlife-rich Wetlands, Study Reveals.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 19 July 2017. Web. 19 July 2017.

Water on Moon Plentiful According to New Study

Swamp Stomp

Volume 17, Issue 37

Future exploration of the moon seems even more likely now that new evidence was provided that a large amount of water is trapped beneath the surface of the moon.

This brings back the question of whether a moon colony could be possible now that water has been discovered on the moon.

“A study of satellite data found ancient volcanic deposits strewn across the moon’s surface contain higher amounts of trapped water compared with surrounding areas” (Gutierrez).

The study “bolsters the idea that the lunar mantle is surprisingly water-rich,” scientists from Brown University say in a press release.

The research conducted by scientists from Brown University was published on Monday, July 24, 2017 in Nature Geoscience. They studied data from India’s Chandrayaan-1 lunar orbiter.

The Apollo 15 and 17 missions in the early 1970s collected volcanic glass beads from the moon and brought them back to Earth, according to Newsweek. A study in 2011 of these glass beads suggested that they contained water.

The purpose of the new study was to figure out if the beads were anomalies or representative of how much water might exist on the moon, Newsweek reports.

“By looking at the orbital data, we can examine the large pyroclastic (volcanic rock fragment) deposits on the moon that were never sampled by the Apollo or Luna missions,” Ralph Milliken, Brown University associate professor and lead author of the new study, said in a news release.

“The fact that nearly all of them exhibit signatures of water suggests that the Apollo samples are not anomalous, so it may be that the bulk interior of the moon is wet.”

Though the volcanic glass beads only contained a few hundred parts per million, if that, there is a lot of volcanic material to work with, Milliken told CNN.

Some fields of the volcanic remains cover thousands of square kilometers and could be several kilometers deep, Milliken said. “It’s more water than previously recognized,” he told CNN.

A newfound source of water on the moon could “bode well for our long-held visions of a lunar base,” notes Eric Mack for CNET.

“A source of water on the moon could add to a growing undercurrent of renewed excitement about returning to the moon. Besides Moon Express, Japan, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and even (Elon) Musk are among the other big names tossing out new lunar visions.”

The private company, Moon Express’ “first prospecting efforts will be studying pyroclastic deposits on the moon, which hold unique clues to potential deposits of lunar water and other resources,” the company’s founder and CEO, Bob Richards, told Phys.org.

“Our baseline landing site for our maiden lunar expedition is an equatorial region of the moon high in pyroclastic deposits.”

The pyroclastic deposits in the study might be easier to access than previously thought, the study’s co-author, Shuai Li, told CNET.

“Anything that helps save future lunar explorers from having to bring lots of water from home is a big step forward, and our results suggest a new alternative,” he said.

The last time man walked on the moon was in December 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission.

Source: Gutierrez, Lisa. “Moon Could Contain Lots of Water, Study Suggests, Bolstering Visions of a Lunar Colony.” The Kansas City Star. The Kansas City Star, 24 July 2017. Web. 24 July 2017.

$5.7 Million Given by EPA to NY to Improve Water Quality

Swamp Stomp

Volume 17, Issue 36

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation received a Performance Partnership grant worth $5.7 million to administer water quality programs from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“The EPA is protecting the environment by engaging our state partners,” said Administrator Scott Pruitt. “This grant should help New York meet their local environmental needs.”

“EPA has no more basic responsibility than to help states secure and protect our nation’s water,” said Acting EPA Regional Administrator Catherine McCabe. “This grant allows New York to conduct the day-to-day work necessary to run its water programs.”

The funds will help the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s continuing environmental programs function while also allowing for greater flexibility to address its highest environmental priorities, improve environmental performance and strengthen its partnership with EPA.  This agreement will help statewide programs to protect and improve water quality. When the water in our rivers, lakes, and oceans become polluted, it can have a great impact on not just humans but also wildlife. It can endanger wildlife, make our drinking water unsafe and threaten the waters in which we swim and fish. EPA supports these efforts under the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act.

Performance Partnership grants are tools that allow the EPA to provide financial assistance to states and tribes. “These grants allow recipients to use EPA awards with greater flexibility for priority environmental problems or program needs, streamline paperwork and accounting procedures to reduce administrative costs, and try cross-program initiatives and approaches that were difficult to fund under traditional grant approaches” (Rodriguez).

Source: Rodriguez, Elias. “EPA Provides Environmental Programs in N.Y. with $5.7 Million to Improve Water Quality.” EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 20 June 2017. Web. 27 July 2017.

What is the New “Waters of the US” rule going to look like?

Swamp Stomp

Volume 17, Issue 35

There are two things going on with the “Waters of the US” rule in the next few weeks.  First, the EPA, U.S. Army Move to Rescind 2015 “Waters of the U.S.”  Comments on this rule have been extended until September 27, 2017.  If this rule is finalized the old “Waters of the US” will recodified.  Meaning, the 1986 definition will be used until it is replaced with a new definition.

Speaking of new definitions, the second item on the agenda is that EPA and the Army are seeking public input in the review of the “Waters of the U.S. Rule.”  They are holding online and limited in-person stakeholder meetings from September to November to discuss what is and what is not a “Waters of the US.”  The stakeholders are divided into interest groups and you can register for an opportunity to speak your mind.  We at the Swamp School highly recommend that you consider attending one of these meetings as the future of what will and what will not be regulated is on the table.

More information and instructions on how to register to speak can be found in the following EPA/USACOE press release dated August 25, 2017.

EPA and the Army Seek Input in the Review of the Waters of the U.S. Rule

Stakeholder sessions will be held weekly between September and November

08/25/2017

Contact Information:

(press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of the Army (the agencies) will hold 11 sessions to give stakeholders an opportunity to provide recommendations on a revised definition of “waters of the United States.” The agencies will hold nine two-hour long teleconferences that will be tailored for specific sectors, plus one that will be open to the general public. The agencies will also hold one in-person session for small entities.

“EPA is committed to an open and transparent process for reviewing the definition of ‘waters of the United States,’” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Receiving input from across the country will help us make informed decisions as we move through our two-step process that will return power to the states and to provide regulatory certainty to our nation’s farmers and businesses.”

These sessions follow the February 28, 2017, Presidential Executive Order on “Restoring the Rule of Law, Federalism, and Economic Growth by Reviewing the ‘Waters of the United States’ Rule.” The February Order states that it is in the national interest to ensure that the Nation’s navigable waters are kept free from pollution, while at the same time promoting economic growth, minimizing regulatory uncertainty, and showing due regard for the roles of Congress and the States under the Constitution.

To meet these objectives, the agencies are following an expeditious, two-step rulemaking process. The recommendations gathered through these stakeholder sessions, in addition to the feedback the agencies are hearing through ongoing outreach to state, local and tribal governments, will help inform the step two rulemaking, which would revise the definition of “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act.

The stakeholder sessions will be held on a weekly basis beginning September 19 and will continue each Tuesday thereafter for ten weeks.  Each will run from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. eastern time. Information on how to register for each of these meetings is available on the EPA website.  Registration for each webinar will close a week prior. Those wishing to provide verbal recommendations during the teleconference will be selected on a first-come, first-serve basis. Due to the expected volume of participants, individuals will be asked to limit their oral presentation to three minutes.

Stakeholder Sessions Schedule

  • September 19, 2017 –  small entities (small businesses, small organizations and small governmental jurisdictions)
  • September 26, 2017 – environment and public advocacy
  • October 3, 2017 – conservation, e.g., hunters and anglers
  • October 10, 2017 – construction and transportation
  • October 17, 2017 – agriculture
  • October 24, 2017 – industry
  • October 31, 2017 – mining
  • November 7, 2017 – scientific organizations and academia
  • November 14, 2017 –  stormwater, wastewater management and drinking water agencies
  • November 21, 2017 –  general public

The agencies are also planning an in-person meeting with small entities, which will be held on Monday, October 23, 2017, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time at the U.S. EPA’s Headquarters.

The agencies will also be accepting written recommendations on the step two rulemaking effort through a non-regulatory docket (EPA-HQ-OW-2017-0480), which will be available when the notice is published in the Federal Register. The agencies ask that this information be submitted on or before November 28, 2017.

Additional information: www.epa.gov/wotus-rule

Source:  https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-and-army-seek-input-review-waters-us-rule

 

Microsoft Co-Founder Using Tech to Fight Poachers

Swamp Stomp

Volume 17, Issue 34

Paul Allen, one of the co-founders of Microsoft, wants to cover 90,000 square miles of African territory with smart sensors and drones before this year ends. He wants to do this in order to be able to know what is going on in Africa’s most remote, wildlife-packed corners. There is no larger tech-focused conservation project as of right now that utilizes a command-and-control system so that rangers can record and respond to poaching threats all the way from Kenya to Tanzania.

The project is called the Domain Awareness System (DAS) and is being funded by Allen through his company Vulcan. Though it is a very simple concept, it is much more complex in execution. Though the software is not flashy, it is likely the key to one of most important philanthropic causes of our time.

What DAS wants to accomplish is to study the movement of endangered animals so that rangers can understand where the main poacher threat is going to be and then get ahead of them on a scale that allows Big Data to predict threats across entire regions.

This technology would allow for less of a foot traffic presence which is the current way elephants and rhinos are protected. Anytime one of the sensors were tripped, nearby rangers will be notified about the threat as well as being notified of any microchipped animals in the area.

When asked why Allen wanted to get involved helping to fix this problem, he said that “By nature, I am attracted to tough problems—problems that, by definition, require innovative and dramatic solutions. The DAS project is the ideal combination of two of my interests—technology and the preservation of [the savannah elephant,] one of Africa’s most iconic species.”

Completely accurate data from conservationists cannot be gathered for two to five years, but so far DAS looks to be working well. As of yet, there have not been any animals saved as a direct result of DAS, but there have been two separate cases of rangers using DAS alerts to apprehend poachers who had already made a kill.

There are other significant threats to the African wildlife besides. The system has allowed rangers in Kenya to prevent human-wildlife conflict by understanding which farms’ cattle are most likely to wander into conservation areas. The rangers have worked with locals to keep the livestock out of conservation areas. This allows rangers prevent retaliatory killings by farmers. This happens when wildlife preys on wandering livestock.

The next step is bringing the system to places that still do not have it, such as the jungles and forests of Congo. Enhancing connectivity where it is low will also be key because it will allow DAS to show alerts in real-time instead of on a delay.

Allen is happy to let his team run wild. “I’ve spent time with these park rangers, so I’m familiar with how difficult their work is. Providing this kind of tool to help them defend endangered species is incredibly fulfilling.”

Do you think this could be the answer to helping catch poachers? What else do you think should be done to prevent poachers from harming and killing elephants and rhinos?

Source: Ekstein, Nikki. “Paul Allen Is Using Technology To Save The African Elephant.” Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, 09 May 2017. Web. 10 May 2017.

Bald Eagles Coming Back to New York

Swamp Stomp

Volume 17, Issue 33

According to the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), a new study shows that the number of nesting pairs of bald eagles is bouncing back from their decline in the 1990s.

The study found that there are approximately 323 breeding pairs in New York, which is a record.

“New York state has been a leader in the restoration and recovery of the bald eagle in the northeastern United States,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a statement, “and this news confirms that our rivers, lakes and forests are capable of supporting our nation’s symbol for generations to come.”

To show just how much these numbers have grown, the DEC estimates that there were only 70 nesting pairs through the early 1900s.

By 1960, there was just one pair left due to indiscriminate killing, competition for habitat and the impact of insecticides such as DDT. Eagles would get infected with DDT when they ate prey contaminated with the chemical. DDT caused their egg shells to become so thin, they would not survive incubation.

DDT was banned in 1972. The federal Endangered Species Act was enacted in 1973 and bald eagles were on the list.

In 1976, the DEC started a program to repopulate the bird in New York. Young birds were imported from other states and hand-reared by biologists to independence.

The following 12 years saw 198 eagles that were not quite old enough to leave the nest collected. The majority were from Alaska.

“The eaglets were moved to suitable habitats, fed while they became accustomed to their new homes and released once they could fly. The process is called hacking” (Ferro).

The hacking program reached its goal of 10 breeding pairs by 1989, so it was ended.

Since the end of the program, the numbers have increased steadily. Of the 442 territories in the state were a nesting pair is known to have bred at least once in recent years, 180 are found in the local DEC region, which includes Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties.

The bald eagle was taken off the federal endangered species list on Aug. 9, 2007.

New York’s own Endangered Species Program changed the bird’s status from endangered to threatened.

It is still against federal law to take; possess; sell; purchase; barter; offer to sell, purchase or barter; transport; export or import any bald or golden eagle whether they are alive or dead.

Bald Eagle numbers did not just drop because of DDT. Deforestation in order to support agriculture also played a role.

“They typically don’t nest in the middle of farm fields,” Scott Crocoll, a DEC biologist, said in an interview.

In the last 100 years, the forests have returned in abundance.

“We were extremely successful” with the restoration program, Crocoll said, “but a lot of the credit has to do with the change in habitat and the birds themselves. They have exploded.”

Source: Ferro, John. “Bald Eagles Thriving in Record Numbers in NY.” The Poughkeepsie Journal. Poughkeepsie Journal, 06 July 2017. Web. 10 Aug. 2017.

Maine Clams are being Threatened

Swamp Stomp

Volume 17, Issue 32

In Maine, soft-shell clams are collected by hand and raked from the mud flats of Maine. Recently, they are becoming less plentiful. This reduction jeopardizes one of New England’s oldest and most historic coastal industries.

Maine is the soft-shell clam capital of the country. Despite this, harvests have generated less than 1.5 million pounds last year. This is the lowest total in 25 years and is down from nearly 8 million pounds at the industry’s peek in the late 1970s.

At one time, the only larger industry than clamming in Maine was the lobster industry.

“Last year was one of the lowest totals since the ’50s,” said Chad Coffin, a Freeport clammer who heads the Maine Clammers Association. “There’s still areas of the coast right now where there just isn’t a lot of clams.”

The threats to clams in Maine include an uptick in predation from green crabs and milky ribbon worms, and the increasing acidification of the ocean. Another problem is that shellfish toxins also sometimes necessitate shellfish harvesting closures, as they did in the state’s eastern coast last year and southern coast this year.

Maine soft-shell clam diggers are still hopeful for a stronger summer this year. The clammers’ association says it’s hoping for a bounce-back year because many clams seem to be reaching legal size, Coffin said.

In order to stabilize the industry long term, it is going to need to adapt, said Brian Beal, a professor of marine ecology at the University of Maine at Machias. The heightened predation from the crabs and worms has tracked in line with rising coastal water temperatures, which are predicted to keep rising, he said.

According to Beal, predators are the largest threat to clams. One way to negate this threat is by employing strategies such as putting netting around areas of mud flats where clams grow and planting clam seed in protected areas, he said.

“If we don’t adapt, we’re going to be dead in the water,” Beal said. “Unfortunately, our environment has changed.”

Maine is not the only state to harvest soft-shell clams. They are harvested in smaller numbers in Massachusetts and New York. Other states are also experiencing dwindled, like in Rhode Island, where clammers harvested barely 7,000 pounds of softshell clams in 2015 after frequently topping 100,000 pounds in the 2000s.

People are not ideal when trying to come up with a way to protect the soft-shell clams. In Maine, state biologists are working on surveys and protection projects to try to preserve the clams, said Jeff Nichols, a spokesman for the state Department of Marine Resources. The number of clammers in the state has held steadily between 1,700 and 2,000 for most of the past ten years.

Coffin said he agrees with Beal that adaptation is vital if they want to revive the industry. If they wait too long the crabs and worms will make it impossible.

“It’s not that there’s not clams,” he said. “It’s that they don’t survive.”

Source: Whittle, Patrick. “Maine’s Soft-shell Clam Industry Is in Jeopardy.” Boston.com. The Boston Globe, 04 July 2017. Web. 06 July 2017.

Marine Debris Bill Introduced in the House

Swamp Stomp

Volume 17, Issue 31

The bipartisan co-chairs of the House Oceans Caucus introduced legislation recently that, if passed, is supposed to help federal, state and local governments combat the increasing influx of trash in the world’s seas.

H.R. 2748, from Representatives Don Young (R-Alaska) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-Oregon), would reauthorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program through fiscal 2022.

“It would also allow the NOAA administrator to work with state governors to declare marine debris events and authorize funds to assist cleanup and response” (Smith-Schoenwalder).

“The issue of marine debris and cleanup is crucially important to Alaska — especially given how closely connected our coastal communities and economies are to our oceans, waterways and ecosystems,” said Young.

According to a summary of the bill, up to 12.7 million metric tons of trash made its way into the oceans in 2012. If changes and improvements are not made to waste management infrastructure, then the number is expected to rise.

“Keeping garbage and large pieces of debris out of the ocean and off of our shores protects our health and well-being, our vibrant coastal tourism economy, and the many people who make a living in the fishing industries,” said Bonamici.

The bill would also encourage international negotiations with countries that produce large amounts of trash to discuss and attempt to find solutions to the problem.

Do you want this legislation to be passed? Do you think more should be done to lower the amount of trash entering our oceans? How do you personnel try to lower your trash output so that it does not reach the oceans?

Source: Smith-Schoenwalder, Cecelia. “Caucus Leaders Introduce Marine Debris Bill.” Greenwire. E&E News, 12 June 2017. Web. 12 June 2017.

What is Costing the Agricultural Industry Billions?

Swamp Stomp

Volume 17, Issue 29

A new report published on Thursday, May 18th claims that the global agriculture industry could be losing $540 billion a year due to the spread of pests and pathogens that damage plant life.

The report was published by the Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) at Kew in London. The report claimed that due to an increase in international trade and travel, flora has been left facing rising threats from invasive pests and pathogens. The report calls for greater biosecurity measures.

“Plants underpin all aspects of life on Earth from the air we breathe right through to our food, our crops, our medicines,” said Professor Kathy Willis, RBG Kew’s director of science.

“If you take one away, what happens to the rest of that ecosystem – how does it impact?”

The report also tries to determine what traits would help plant species cope with the climate changes.

The report finds that plants with deeper roots and higher wood density are more capable of withstanding a drought, while thicker leaves and taller grasses are better able to cope with higher temperatures.

The researchers were surprised to find that the traits that are likely to help species thrive appear to be transferable across different environments.

“The interesting fact to emerge is that the suite of ‘beneficial’ traits are, on the whole, the same the world over and are as true in a temperate forest as in a desert,” Professor Willis said in a statement.

The report was worked on by 128 scientists in 12 countries and found that 1,730 new plant species were discovered last year.

Of the 1,730 new plant species discovered, nine were of the climbing vine Mucuna which is used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The species were found and named across South East Asia and South and Central America.

Source: Hanrahan, Mark, and Matthew Stock. “Pests and Pathogens Could Cost Agriculture Billions: Report.” Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 18 May 2017. Web. 18 May 2017.

EPA, U.S. Army Move to Rescind 2015 “Waters of the U.S.”

Swamp Stomp

Volume 17, Issue 28

WASHINGTON – (June 27, 2017) The Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Army, and Army Corps of Engineers (the agencies) are proposing a rule to rescind the Clean Water Rule and re-codify the regulatory text that existed prior to 2015 defining “waters of the United States” or WOTUS. This action would, when finalized, provide certainty in the interim, pending a second rulemaking in which the agencies will engage in a substantive re-evaluation of the definition of “waters of the United States.” The proposed rule would be implemented in accordance with Supreme Court decisions, agency guidance, and longstanding practice.

“We are taking significant action to return power to the states and provide regulatory certainty to our nation’s farmers and businesses,” said Administrator Scott Pruitt. “This is the first step in the two-step process to redefine ‘waters of the U.S.’ and we are committed to moving through this re-evaluation to quickly provide regulatory certainty, in a way that is thoughtful, transparent and collaborative with other agencies and the public.”

This proposed rule follows the February 28, 2017, Presidential Executive Order on “Restoring the Rule of Law, Federalism, and Economic Growth by Reviewing the ‘Waters of the United States’ Rule.” The February Order states that it is in the national interest to ensure that the Nation’s navigable waters are kept free from pollution, while at the same time promoting economic growth, minimizing regulatory uncertainty, and showing due regard for the roles of Congress and the States under the Constitution. To meet these objectives, the agencies intend to follow an expeditious, two-step process that will provide certainty across the country.

The proposed rule would recodify the identical regulatory text that was in place prior to the 2015 Clean Water Rule and that is currently in place as a result of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit’s stay of the 2015 rule. Therefore, this action, when final, will not change current practice with respect to how the definition applies.

The agencies have also begun deliberations and outreach on the second step rulemaking involving a re-evaluation and revision of the definition of “waters of the United States” in accordance with the Executive Order.

“The Army, together with the Corps of Engineers, is committed to working closely with and supporting the EPA on these rulemakings.  As we go through the rulemaking process, we will continue to make the implementation of the Clean Water Act Section 404 regulatory program as transparent as possible for the regulated public, ” said Mr. Douglas Lamont, senior official performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.

For the pre-publication Federal Register Notice and additional information: http://www.epa.gov/wotus-rule

Source:  USEPA

(press@epa.gov)