Wetland/stream alert

Help stop the destruction of hundreds of miles of streams and many acres of wetlands - in the Bay Area and across the nation.

The Army Corps of Engineers, responsible under the Clean Water Act for protecting wetlands and streams, issues what are called Nationwide Permits. Each of these NWPs defines a category of project that is allowed throughout the country without review by the public or by resource agencies.

The Corps has now proposed to renew a package of 44 NWPs that otherwise would be expiring in March 2007. These permits have proven to be immensely destructive of streams and wetlands. In addition, the Corps is proposing to add six new NWPs and to weaken environmental safeguards and limitations, for example by reducing controls on the filling of wetlands in floodplains.

WhatYouCanDo

Write to:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Attn: CECW-OR/MVD (David B. Olson)
441 G St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20314-1000
Docket: COE-2006-0005

or by email to david.b.olson -at- usace.army.mil

Comments are due by Nov. 17, and it's important to include the docket number. Urge the Corps neither to reissue NWPs nor to issue new ones.