"One year ago, the Bush administration made a gross miscalculation by proposing a rule change to remove Clean Water Act protections from 20 million acres of wetlands and a majority of the nation's streams. A strong and growing backlash from states, sportsmen, and even a strongly bipartisan majority of Congressmen left the Bush administration with little choice but to rescind its misguided proposal, as it quietly did with an announcement today at 5:00PM EST.

"Today's reversal is a telling reminder of how listening only to special corporate interests leaves the Bush administration wildly out of touch with a broad range of public opinion, not to mention sound science.

"Continuing to protect small streams and wetlands is essential to filter pollution from our drinking water sources, maintain water quality in our lakes and rivers, and provide habitat to fish, waterfowl and other wildlife. The Bush administration's efforts to remove protection from small streams and wetlands would have reversed thirty years of progress in cleaning up our lakes, rivers and coastal waters.

"Mining companies, developers and oil companies sought this change in clean water rules because it would have been easier for them to dispose of their waste and fill in wetlands if there were no government oversight. But polluting these small streams and wetlands would have inevitably meant dirtier water downstream, more flooding, and fewer recreational opportunities for hunters, anglers and others who depend upon clean water. Once again the Bush administration was on track to allow polluters to benefit at our expense.

"In addition to reversing its proposed rule change on wetlands, the Sierra Club also calls on the Bush administration to remove its guidance discouraging enforcement of clean water protections for wetlands and small streams. On January 15 of this year, the Bush administration instructed Army Corps of Engineers and EPA staff not to enforce rules governing small wetlands and streams without first obtaining permission from headquarters. Putting the environmental cop back on the beat is especially critical given broader concerns about environmental enforcement, which, according to a recent Knight Ridder analysis, has 'plummeted' under the current administration. Today's EPA press release did not indicate whether the guidance would be rescinded."