How are wetlands protected?
The Clean Water Act of 1972 has been the primary legal protection for wetlands. The US Army Corps of Engineers was given authority over wetlands, in keeping with their long-held jurisdiction over waters of the United States, and reviews applications to fill or otherwise impact wetlands. Later regulations and a federal mandate for “no net loss” of wetlands drove the requirement that impacted wetlands be replaced through restoration, preservation, enhancement, or even the creation of new wetland areas. In Georgia, the Erosion and Sedimentation Act regulates the intentional or accidental transmission of soil and other materials into state waters, including wetlands. The Coastal Marshland Protection Act provides an extra layer of safety to the state’s tidal salt marshes important both to the ecology and economy of Georgia.
