The Corps' Nationawide Permits: Did Anyone Bother to Read the Law?

Under the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued nationwide permits that expedite the authorization process for those seeking to discharge materials into the nation’s waters. While intended to advance the Act’s goals, these permits have routinely been misused to authorize activities that threaten the environment. Below, the author discusses the Corps’ faulty reasoning in approving such activities and how its approach to the permits is undermining the effectiveness of the CWA.