On May 20, 2024, Ecobot interviewed Fred Wagner for a Q&A regarding the post-Sackett regulatory landscape and its implications. In the interview, Wagner discussed the key takeaways of the decision, such as its impact on water protection and the ongoing legislation.
When asked about whether states will be restricted by Sackett, he explained: “The states can always be more restrictive, and I think what we’re seeing is that a lot of the approaches, a lot of the strategy from EPA and the Corps is to work with the more sympathetic states,” Wagner added, “There are some strange bedfellows out there. I think of the Louisianas of the world, which you might not expect to be one of the jurisdictions that would be more aggressive. On the other hand, they’re very protective for flood control and property protection. There may be surprises in terms of what states may or may not do.”
The interview also delved into the interests of and impacts on individual states, with Wagner explaining, “Some states may have to have a more aggressive posture, because they continue to suffer property loss or property damage, and they understand the importance of protecting these types of features.” Ecobot asserted that there is nothing about Sackett that will prevent states from being as protective as they would like to, to which Wagner agreed.
The Q&A also touched on the consequences of the upcoming presidential election in the United States, puzzling through what different outcomes could mean for environmental regulations.
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