Wetlands are a vital line of defense in protecting water quality from polluted runoff. Wetlands are invaluable because they clean our drinking water, help filter pollution out of our waterways, protect out communities from floods, and sustain fish and wildlife.

CWN members work to make sure Congress and the Administration keep their word to protect the nation’s remaining natural wetlands. This includes fending off attacks on current wetlands programs, ensuring new legislation is protective of wetlands, and keeping pressure on the Administration to fix the holes in their wetlands protection programs.

Aside from the obvious threat that the EPA and Army Corps' policy that narrows the scope of the Clean WAter Acts for millions of acres of wetlands, the Wetlands Workgroup co-chairs have identified the following priority issues for the workgroup:

1) Mitigation Rulemaking 2) Mitigation Guidance Documents 3) Implementation (or lack thereof) of the Dredge Material Rule (Tulloch II) 4) "Lead District" Implementation 5) State Roles in 404 6) Regional General Permits 7) President's Wetlands Plan

Leader: Jan Goldman Carter National Wildlife Federation

Arhtur Feinstein Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge