Clinton administration wants new wetland protections

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Clinton administration Thursday proposed new protections for tens of thousands of acres of wetlands across the United States, seeking to clarify sections of the Clean Water Act to better regulate sensitive marshes, swamps, bogs and other wetland areas.

The move would let the federal government regulate certain activities like earth-moving, ditch-digging and in-stream mining which take place when draining wetlands.

In a statement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the proposal was billed as an "essential" move to close a loophole in the current law regarding wetlands.

"Due to a legal loophole that has been exploited, an additional 20,000 acres of wetlands have been lost in this country over the last two years," said EPA Administrator Carol Browner.

"The action we take today strengthens the protection of these vital resources for future generations," she said.

Considered an invaluable part of the ecosystem, wetlands filter and cleanse the nation's water, help retain flood waters and harbor emerging fish and shellfish populations, EPA said.

Wetlands are generally located between dry land and bodies of water. Destruction of them can increase flooding and runoff potential, harm neighboring property, cause stream and river pollution and result in loss of habitats.

The so-called legal loophole came about after the courts ruled in favor of the National Mining Association and developers in 1997 and 1998 against the government's definition of its wetland permit process.

Environmental protection groups applauded closing the Clean Water Act loophole, saying developers would be stopped from destroying wetlands.

"Streams and marshes protect our communities by acting as a natural sponge, soaking up water that would otherwise flood our neighborhoods. The Sierra Club applauds the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers for working to protect wildlife habitat and our communities," said Robin Mann, chair of the Sierra Club's National Wetlands Committee.

EPA and the Army Corps said since the initial 1997 court decision, nearly 20,000 acres of wetlands have been destroyed and more than 150 miles of streams channeled without environmental review or mitigation.

The Clinton administration had previously announced a Clean Water Action Plan committing the country to an annual net gain of 100,000 acres of wetlands starting in 2005 through restoration programs.

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