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By Julie Greene
In 2023, the Supreme Court made one of its most devastating rulings in environmental history. By narrowing the legal definition of ‘waters of the United States’ (WOTUS), the court opened the floodgates to unregulated pollution. But while tremendously consequential, the decision was also simply the latest in a long series of battles over WOTUS and which waters are protected by the federal Clean Water Act, enacted over president Nixon’s veto in 1972.
In Waters of the United States: POTUS, SCOTUS, WOTUS, and the Politics of a National Resource (Publication Date: December 19, 2024), Royal C. Gardner, an internationally recognized expert in wetland law and policy, delivers an unprecedented exploration of WOTUS’ history and its importance for today’s efforts to protect a critical natural resource. The result is a fascinating look at the ongoing power struggle over water quality at all levels of government, from the president to Congress, federal agencies, courts, and states.
Throughout the book, Gardner not only examines how bodies of water are legally defined, and therefore protected, but also who gets to decide on these definitions. He takes readers inside the inner workings of Supreme Court debates over WOTUS’ scope, into the halls of Congress where water policies are bitterly fought over, and out into the country where people must grapple with the complex intersection of water regulations, money, and environmental health. Along the way, Gardner shows how a future of clean water is possible and uses history to illuminate the challenges of reaching it.
Waters of the United States offers the detailed analysis necessary for lawyers and environmental advocates to understand the complex nuances of water policy, while sharing a compelling narrative that will engage readers who are interested in water issues. Gardner’s unique mix of insights into environmental law, history, and politics makes Waters of the United States required reading for anyone who cares about the future of America’s water.
Clean water is vital for our environment, our communities, and our health. Through the story of WOTUS, Gardner explores the threats facing waters in the US and what it will take to ensure cleaner water for all.
Royal C. Gardner is an internationally recognized expert in wetland law and policy. At Stetson University College of Law, he is director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy and the Hugh F. Culverhouse Professor of Law.
Waters of the United States
Island Press Paperback Original | Publication Date: December 19, 2024
312 pages | 6×9 | Price: $45.00
ISBN: 978-1-64283-361-4
Book Page: https://islandpress.org/books/waters-united-states
Founded in 1984, Island Press works to stimulate, shape, and communicate the information that is essential for solving environmental problems. Today, with more than 1,000 titles in print and some 30 new releases each year, it is the nation’s leading publisher of books on environmental issues. Island Press is driving change by moving ideas from the printed page to public discourse and practice. Island Press’s emphasis is, and will continue to be, on transforming objective information into understanding and action. For more information and further updates be sure to visit www.islandpress.org.