WASHINGTON — On Friday, the Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. upheld a 2020 ruling that the federal EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the Endangered Species Act by allowing Florida fast-track permits to build in wetlands.
The court ruled that accelerated removal of federally protected wetlands could threaten the survival of species like the Florida panther that rely on them.
The ruling upholds a 2020 decision. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the federal Endangered Species Act when the agencies approved Florida’s wetlands permitting program in 2020.
The case was brought by environmental groups Sierra Club, Earthjustice, Defenders of Wildlife, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper, and St. Johns Riverkeeper.
"The government tried a reckless scheme to fast-track the destruction of wetlands under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act," said Earthjustice Senior Attorney Christina I. Reichert in a statement. "Today, the appeals court confirmed that the government can't take shortcuts around our bedrock federal environmental laws."
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pattybeenutty
Thank you to these environmental groups trying to save our wetlands from greedy politicians and builders.
Please support these groups financially!
Wednesday, April 1 Report this
Janet
Yes please support environental groups who challenge these nonsense decisions. Litigation is expensive. The question in my mind is how many permits have been issued, and what happens in the interim till this issue is settled in final, probably after appeal(s). Development interests have deep pockets, unlike enviro organizations working for the public good and environment.
Thank you,Bradenton Times, for bringing us this story.
Wednesday, April 1 Report this