Effects of the SWANCC and Rapanos Supreme Court Rulings on Tennessee
- Aileo Weinmann
- Feb 17, 2010
Tennessee has one of the richest diversities of wildlife in the nation and a vast array of important waters, from mountain trout streams, to major tributaries of the Mississippi River, to vast wetlands relied on by ducks and other waterfowl. However, due to recent legal developments, up to 60 percent of the state’s stream miles and half of its 787,000 remaining acres of wetlands may no longer be protected from pollution and destruction under the Clean Water Act.
This report provides an overview of the waters at risk in Tennessee. Included among these waters are wetlands associated with a vital tributary to the Tennessee River, a wetland impacting Tennessee’s treasured Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, and wetlands under siege from development.
Tennessee Waters and Wetlands
Compiled by the National Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited, and Trout Unlimited, the reports identifies case studies where the loss of Clean Water Act protections has put local waters in Tennessee at risk for pollution, unrestricted drainage, and destruction.
