The US Supreme Court overturned some important protections for watersheds in May: The court ruled that protections of the federal Clean Water Act of 1972 applied only to wetlands with “continuous connection with an ocean, river, stream or lake.”

While such connections are important, this short-sighted view lacks understanding of the value of watersheds for their “chemical and biological connections,” SMP Sullivan and RC Gardner said in a letter in the July 28, 2023, issue of Science.

“The Court’s decision has substantially weakened water protection at a time when protections should be buttressed,” noted Sullivan, Director of Clemson’s Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science, and Gardner, Co-Director of Stetson University’s Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy.

We could not agree more. The Clean Water Act of 1972 was enacted to help “maintain hydrological, chemical, and biological functions that are essential in sustaining human well-being, ecological health, and the economy.” Why are we going backwards now 50 years later?

The potential impact to local watersheds in our region has not yet been evaluated. Sierra Club will continue to watch the situation, provide updates, and suggest actions we can take, including putting pressure on Congress and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Photo by Ana Hollan/Shutterstock.com