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Wetlands protections get a boost

Updated: Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 | By Catharine Richert

Wetland conservation was key to President Barack Obama's conservation campaign platform, and so far, he's made good on several of his pledges.
 
The first, to increase funding for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, became part of Obama's Interior Department budget. He asked for about $10 million in extra cash for the program, but Congress delivered only $2.5 million, bringing total funding to $45.6 million. That's enough to keep vital habitat intact and add more land to the conservation program, according to Ducks Unlimited, which advocated for the bill. So the program will be operating at "no net loss," as Obama promised.
 
Obama's second promise -- to extend the swamp buster program, which offers incentives for farmers to preserve wetlands on their agricultural operations -- has not yet been fulfilled. The program does not expire until 2012, the final year of Obama's first term.
 
And the last part of his promise -- to amend the Clean Water Act to clarify that it protects isolated wetlands -- is in the works. Earlier this year, a Senate committee approved a bill that would restore broad federal protections over wetlands, which have been limited by the Supreme Court. In two cases, the Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not have to regulate pollution in some wetlands because they were not considered navigable bodies of water.
 
So, Obama has gotten the ball rolling on several of his wetlands promises. However, an extension for the swamp buster program won't be up until 2012. And a bill to amend the Clean Water Act is still working its way through Congress. We'll keep an eye on these developments, but for now, we'll move this promise to In the Works.

Sources: CQ Weekly, Senate Committee OKs Protections for Bodies of Water, by Colby Itkowitz, CQ Staff House Appropriations Committee, Interior Department appropriations summary , accessed Nov. 25, 2009 Ducks Unlimited, Interior Department Appropriations bill statement , accessed Nov. 25, 2009