U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Reports High Rate of Wetlands Loss

(17 September, 1997 — Washington) The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) issued the following statement regarding a report released today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on national losses of wetlands. The report estimates that the United States lost 1.2 million acres of wetlands between 1985 and 1995, predominantly as a result of conversion of wetlands by agriculture.

“The high rate of wetland loss found by the Fish & Wildlife Service is a surprise,” said EDF senior attorney Tim Searchinger. “Beginning in 1985, agencies began to implement the Clean Water Act wetland regulatory program earnestly. Congress also passed the “Swampbuster” statute in 1985, which prohibits those who receive federal farm payments from draining wetlands. Only approximately 25,000 acres of wetland conversions are authorized by individual Clean Water Act permits per year. The report shows serious shortcomings in the regulatory programs.”

“Part of the problem is the lax attitude taken by regulatory agencies toward the drainage of wetlands for forestry. A bigger part of the problem is probably lax enforcement, coupled with questionable delineations of wetlands on a case-by-case basis,” said Searchinger.

“This report clearly shows the need to tighten up the enforcement of wetland laws by the Department of Agriculture, which polices these laws on farms,” said Searchinger.

EDF cited as an example of government involvement with wetlands loss a proposed wetland drainage project for agriculture that would drain thousands of acres of wetlands by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “The proposed project to drain the St. Johns Bayou along the Mississippi River in Missouri provides an illustration of how wetland regulators can let major wetland drainage projects slip through,” said Searchinger.