Press Release

October 03, 2022

Sackett Case Before US Supreme Court Poses Serious Threat to Clean Water, Wetlands Protection

“We hope the Court will give the Clean Water Act and science the respect they deserve”

Statement by Scott Strand
Senior Attorney, Environmental Law & Policy Center

“Today, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in a case that poses a serious threat to clean water and wetlands protection in the Midwest and across the country. The Environmental Law & Policy Center is concerned that there may well be a majority on today’s Supreme Court ready to severely limit the federal government’s authority to protect clean water under the Clean Water Act.

“The science is clear that protecting upstream wetlands and tributaries is critical for protecting downstream lakes and rivers, including the Great Lakes. We all depend on safe clean water for drinking, fishing and recreation. The case the Justices are considering could take away much of the federal government’s ability to protect wetlands and river and stream beds that are sometimes dry part of the year. We know today that waterbodies are more connected to each other than we might have once imagined.

“We hope the Court will give the Clean Water Act and science the respect they deserve. The federal Clean Water Act, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has been the linchpin of all of our efforts to improve water quality in the Great Lakes and beyond.”

ELPC filed a “friend of the court” brief in the Sackett v. EPA case before the U.S. Supreme Court.