STREAMLINING WETLAND DESTRUCTION

Less than two years after Katrina devastated Gulf Coast communities, the Mobile District of the Army Corps of Engineers seems to have forgotten the importance wetlands serve in protecting communities from flooding and storm surge. The evidence came last fall when the Corps released its draft Regional General Permit. Many of you probably remember sending comments urging the Corps to abandon its irresponsible proposal to streamline and remove public comment for wetland fills up to 5 acres.

Well they listened, kind of…In response to the thousands of people who sent concerns around the original proposal, the Corps shrank the size to 3 acres. Let me remind you, 3 acres is still 6 times the national precedent. We're talking roughly the size of three football fields. Take 10, 25, 50 different projects and the acres start to add up. Realizing the second draft was just as absurd as the first, 1,450 GRN supporters sent comments to the Corps urging it to give up the wetland fill game. In both rounds of public comment citizens requested public hearings to voice their concerns and present evidence for the Corps to consider.

On Friday, without scheduling a public hearing, the Corps released the final version of the Regional General Permit. I wish I could say that I am shocked that such a thing would happen, but I’m not surprised. This is the same division that cannot competently enforce wetland protection laws and requires citizens and citizen groups to take matters into their own hands.

The release of the Regional General Permit last Friday highlights once again the lack of Corps consistency community members and non-profits have been lamenting for decades. Following the Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program, I was excited to see that preserving existing wetlands and restoring historic wetlands were part of the Corps’ plan. The counties with proposed wetland restoration are the same that fall prey to the newly released Regional General Permit!

Community members are told of the importance of protecting and restoring wetlands, yet they are given a policy that takes away their voice in the process of determining which wetlands get destroyed. To echo Mississippi attorney and GRN board member Robert Wiygul, "I feel safe saying there are a lot of citizens and groups looking very hard at a court challenge to this decision."

Protect Our Wetlands, Protect Ourselves.

Stephanie Powell is the Outreach Associate for the Gulf Restoration Network's Water Resources Program.