Ditto about buying land in or abutting wetlands and then looking for variances and other government help when you find the place is unbuildable. Believe it or not, the most likely road to sanity in all this is grass roots community involvement. Attend town, county, state and federal meetings on environmental issues whenever you can. Write your political representatives, and do so frequently when there is an issue on the table. Let them know where you stand and what you want them to do.
Politicians do listen to their constituents - they have to in the long run, or they get voted out.
Above all else, fight the good fight. Don't sink to the level of the back room boys. If you haven't read the Rock Net FAQ and User Tips yet, now would be a good time to do so.