SWS Files Amicus Brief in Clean Water Rule Suspension Case
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he Society of Wetland Scientists filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to emphasize the importance of science in agency rulemakings. Several states and organizations have filed suit against the Trump administration for the suspension of the Clean Water Rule. The SWS brief asserts that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must consider the scientific basis of the 2015 Clean Water Rule before suspending it. To read the brief, visit http://www.stetson.edu/law/international/biodiversity/media/brief_of_sws_as_amicus_curiae_may_2018.pdf. The Clean Water Rule was designed to protect the streams and wetlands on which Americans’ health and economy depend. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are now considering repealing that rule. While no repeal has been finalized, the agencies added an “applicability date” to the Clean Water Rule in February of 2018, suspending it for two years. Professor Royal Gardner and attorney Erin Okuno from the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson University College of Law, along with a team of attorneys including Dr. Steph Tai, Kathleen Gardner, and Christopher Greer, wrote the brief on SWS’s behalf.
“Every aspect of the Clean Water Act’s implementation requires the use of science,” said Stetson Law Professor Royal Gardner. “When the agencies disregard science, their judgments deserve no deference.” “The ongoing attempt, if successful, by the EPA and USACE to undermine the scientific basis of the Clean Water Act, specifically to restrict the definition of what is a water of the United States, would have a significant impact on the future of wetlands in the US. SWS will do everything in its power to ensure that science not politics will continue to be the foundation for American wetland regulations and policies.” Arnold van der Valk, President, SWS. In accordance with the SWS Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan, SWS works to “promote sound science in wetland policy and stewardship” and to promote “sciencebased management and sustainability of wetlands”. SWS has taken many steps over a number of years to support the Clean Water Rule since its inception, as the Clean Water Rule is based on the best available science, including an analysis of over 1,200 peer-reviewed scientific publications. See prior SWS comment letters pertaining to the Clean Water Rule on the SWS Publications/Comment Letters page http://www.sws.org/Resources/letters-ofcomment.html. n
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articipate in outstanding educational opportunities without leaving your desk! SWS is pleased to provide its webinar series that addresses a variety of wetland topics. The convenience and flexibility of SWS webinars enables you to educate one or a large number of employees at once, reduce travel expenses, and maintain consistent levels of productivity by eliminating time out of the office. We are proud to announce that our webinars are now pre-approved by the SWS Professional Certification Program. Webinar registration is a complimentary member benefit. Certificates of completion are available upon request and can be used towards PWS certification. A limited number of spots are available for each webinar. If you’re unable to participate in the live webinar, all webinars are recorded and archived for complimentary viewing by SWS members. Webinars are now viewable with subtitles on YouTube! The Webinar Committee is excited to announce that our free webinar recordings are now available on the SWS YouTube channel. SWS supporters around the world can
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watch the webinars with subtitles in their native language. To view the webinars with subtitles, click the “CC” button in the bottom, right-hand corner of the video. You can change the language of the subtitles by clicking on the settings button in the bottom, right-hand corner and going to subtitles/CC > auto-translate > and choosing the language of your choice. Attend a webinar with subtitles: http://sws. ontrapages.com/youtuberegistration. n MORE INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING WEBINARS: www.sws.org > Events > Upcoming Webinars MISSED A WEBINAR? View webinar archives at: www.sws.org > Events > Past Webinars
