opinion

Pennsylvania Leaders Must Protect our Wetlands

Wetlands are the kidneys of our rivers, lakes, and streams — acting as filters that absorb pollutants before they flow into our drinking water systems.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court limited the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to protect millions of acres of wetlands with the ruling in Sackett v. EPA.

A wetland is not an island. Our nation’s waterways are connected — even when they are not wet year-round. The Supreme Court’s decision to strike federal protections will have profound implications for wetlands in many states, including approximately 400,000 acres of wetlands in Pennsylvania, 296,350 acres in Delaware, and over 900,000 acres in New Jersey.