Clean Water Enforcement: Is The U.S. Water Market Truly Regulated?

The impact of the Clean Water Act (CWA) on U.S. waterways and surface water bodies has been significant over the last 47 years and one that should not be overlooked. At its passing in 1972, on the heels of an oil slick catching fire on Ohio’s Cuyahoga River in June 1969, only 40 percent of the nation’s water was considered safe for fishing and swimming, not to mention drinking and other beneficial uses. Today, the percentage has reached 60 percent because of regulation.

While enforcement actions have steadily increased over the last three decades, management and enforcement tools have shifted from federal to state authorities. At the same time, enforcement mechanisms have changed towards more informal actions at the local level. Political divides have put regulatory management — state and federal — under a microscope, as parties on both sides of the aisle seek to exert their influence on the regulatory landscape.

This webinar will address the following questions and more:

• What role do state and federal government play in regulating water and how has it changed?
• How do states differ in their enforcement approaches?
• How does regulatory enforcement impact investment trends?