Under these bills, many widely recognized and prized wetlands systems, including portions of the Florida Everglades, Virginia's Great Dismal Swamp, wetlands surrounding the San Francisco and Chesapeake bays, and many other wetlands throughout the country, would no longer be recognized as wetlands. Oil and gas extractors, mining corporations, real estate speculators and other wetlands developers would be free to destroy these wetlands with no federal oversight or restrictions whatsoever. Because wetlands act as natural water filters, loss of wetlands that would take place under the two bills would cause substantial harm to water quality in lakes, rivers and streams all across the country. The House and Senate bills would eliminate federal protections for at least 80 percent of existing wetlands in 22 states. In all but 7 states, the two bills would remove at least half of all wetlands from eligibility for Clean Water Act protection.
Some states are particularly hard hit.
Alabama would lose protection for at least 94 percent of its wetlands. Texas would lose protection for at least 90 percent. New Hampshire would lose protection for 70 to 90 percent of its wetlands.