A Symposium on the Legal, Policy, and
Conservation Implications of Sackett v. EPA
Reflection and Complete Transcripts
A Note From Stan
On November 10, 2023, we welcomed an esteemed set of experts to help us navigate the pressing questions raised by the Supreme Court’s May 2023 decision in Sackett vs. the EPA. The quality of the discussion was so outstanding that we felt compelled to share it with a larger audience.
We are unlikely to run out of controversies
around water regulation any time soon.Â
As I reflect on the Symposium, some core insights emerged. First, the Sackett decision has not ended complexity in defining the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act, nor has it given us the last word on Waters of the United States. Sackett has, however, sparked key conversations about the ways in which we will protect ecosystem water quality moving forward. Many questions remain: What can we do to protect our waters? Who will lead the efforts? How will we pay for it? Likewise, questions of what constitutes an adjacent wetland, where EPA authority ends, and the tensions between legal language and natural processes persist.
We encourage you to explore these conversations for further insights, by way of the complete transcripts and videos presented here. We are indebted to the extraordinary assistance of my student Althea Floge and the panelists who reviewed the rough transcripts, though any errors are strictly our own. Â
Best wishes,
Stan Meiburg, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Keynote Remarks
