Throughout the West, abandoned mines release toxic pollutants, harming water quality, fish, and recreation opportunities. The private sector has long … More
Category: Clean Water Act
Federal judge in environmental nuisance case: “Less fortunate citizens have property rights, too.”
A $100 million case against North Carolina hog farms demonstrates the critical role property rights play in protecting the environment … More
Supreme Court wades back into the murky Clean Water Act
Since the 1980s, Maui County’s wastewater treatment plant has discharged millions of gallons of recycled water into groundwater. Over several … More
A flood of red tape: why is it harder to buy out flood prone properties than to rebuild?
This year, the Mississippi River experienced its longest flood on record, with parts of the river exceeding flood levels for … More
Will the Supreme Court decide whether the Clean Water Act applies to groundwater?
In February, the Supreme Court agreed to decide whether the federal Clean Water Act regulates pollutants that migrate through groundwater. … More
If federal authority ebbs, will states take the lead on regulating upstream water quality?
Since 1972, the Environmental Protection Agency has regulated discharges of pollution to “waters of the United States.” The meaning of … More
Markets for clean water
Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency published a memo encouraging states, tribes, and local governments to look to markets for … More
An antiquated California water law encourages political conflict rather than market transactions
California ski resorts are experiencing record snowfall this February, thanks to a storm system that has dropped an estimated 18 … More
Another downside to pervasive permitting: what happens when the government shuts down?
One of the lessons of the recent government shutdown (and expected near miss on a second one) is that there … More
Environmental restoration requires better incentives
A driving force behind technological innovation and prosperity is “creative destruction.” Old enterprises and technologies are constantly replaced by new … More
