Wetland Protection: The Michigan Experience

The State of Michigan has made formal application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for authority to operate the §404 program under the Clean Water Act; if granted, Michigan will become the first state to assume responsibility for this federal regulatory program. The Division of Land Resource Programs of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is confident that the transition to state authority will be smooth and that the public will be better served. That confidence is based on extensive study, pilot administration, and detailed preparation to assess the feasibility of assumption. And success by Michigan could well lead of their states to seeking §404 assumption.