MEDIA CONTACT: Cassandra Casados-Klein
713.367.8604 | communications@bayoucitywaterkeeper.org
Texas is home to over 7 million acres of wetlands – natural features that support cleaner water, flood protection and carbon capture.
HOUSTON, TX – This week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency turned to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling (Sackett v. EPA) to further strip protections from wetlands. This is being done by a narrowed definition of the term ‘Waters of the United States’ (WOTUS).
Two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to remove “federal protections from millions of acres of wetlands and streams” in Sackett v. EPA. This was a blow to natural flood protection infrastructure and the ecosystems of wildlife. This week, the U.S. EPA under the current administration has created a rule that is far more narrow than what was instructed, thus putting vulnerable communities and stakeholders at greater risk.
As our region grapples with how to address increasingly larger and more intense storms and rising sea levels, protecting our remaining wetland areas at the highest risk of loss due to development and other reasons becomes ever more important.
In their press release, the U.S. EPA has asserted that, “…states… know their local land and water resources best.” But here in Texas, home to over 7 million acres of wetlands, no alternative legal protections exist. Despite having some of the largest acreages of wetlands in the country, Texas remains among the states with the least legal protection in place. This means the federal agency’s actions will have real consequences for the especially wetland-rich Houston region.
“If it goes into effect, this rule will enable the further destruction of wetlands across our region. This shows the administration's disregard for the communities that rely on these natural features for cleaner water, flood protection, and carbon capture. This is an urgent problem that our state and local governments will need to work together to solve. Bayou City Waterkeeper will be there to advocate for and uplift the concerns of community.”
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Bayou City Waterkeeper envisions a Houston where water is a catalyst for change. By connecting community, place, policies, and systems we collaboratively advance equitable distributions of power and resources towards life, joy, and regeneration for our watershed. Bayou City Waterkeeper protects the waters and people of the greater Houston region through bold legal action, community science, and creative, grassroots policy to further justice, health, and safety for our region.