Laws, Regulations, Treaties

Related Links: General Water Laws | Wetlands | Oceans, Coasts, & Estuaries | Watersheds

Key federal statutes governing wetlands in the United States

Laws

Clean Water Act (CWA)

The Clean Water Act is a 1977 amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, which set the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants to waters of the United States.

Section 404 - establishes a program to regulate the discharge of dredged and fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands.

Overview of Section 404 (PDF) (2 pp, 687K, About PDF)
Text of Section 404 (33 U.S.C. 1344)

Section 403 - Ocean Discharge Criteria

Text of Section 403 (33 U.S.C. 1343)

Section 402 - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

Text of Section 402 (33 U.S.C. 1342)

Section 401 - State Certification of Water Quality

Overview of Section 401 Certification
Text of Section 401 (33 U.S.C. 1341)

Section 309 - Federal Enforcement Authority

Text of Section 309 (33 U.S.C. 1318)

Section 308 - Inspections, Monitoring, Entry

Text of Section 308 (33 U.S.C. 1318)

Section 502 - General Definitions

Text of Section 502 (33 U.S.C. 1362)

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)

NEPA is the basic national charter for protection of the environment. It establishes policy, sets goals, and provides means for carrying out the policy.

Text of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347)

Rivers & Harbors Appropriation Act of 1899

Section 10 - establishes a program to regulate activities affecting navigation in United States waters, including wetlands

Text of Section 10 (33 U.S.C. 403)
Army Corps of Engineers, Section 10 Program

Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996

Commonly known as the Farm Bill, the 1996 revisions included modifications to four programs related to the conservation of wetlands on agricultural land.

Text of Conservation Provisions in the 1996 Farm Bill

Endangered Species Act (ESA)

The Endangered Species Act provides a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and the habitats in which they are found.

Text of ESA (7 U.S.C. 136)

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21)

Authorizes funding to improve the Nation´s transportation infrastructure, enhance economic growth and protect the environment, including opportunities to improve water quality and restore wetlands.

Overview of TEA
Text of TEA-21

Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection & Restoration Act (CWPPRA)

North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA)

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