Loosening wetland protections threatens ecosystems and worsens climate damage

When the Supreme Court decided to upend federal wetland protection standards in June with its decision in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), much of the public’s focus shifted to the potential for fallout regarding the what of the legal matter: wetlands. Less emphasis was placed on the how of wetland protection that largely takes place through wetland mitigation banking, or the restoration, establishment, or enhancement of wetlands.