Wetlands

Louisiana SR144 Creates Upper Pontchartrain Basin Task Force and Urges Suspension of New Industrial Permits

Louisiana has adopted Senate Resolution 144 creating an Upper Pontchartrain Basin Task Force, commissioning a multi‑year scientific assessment by The Water Institute, and urging state and local authorities to pause approvals of new or expanded industrial permits in the basin until that work is complete. If agencies act on this non‑binding resolution, companies planning industrial projects in the Upper Pontchartrain Basin, including facilities needing DEQ air, water, or waste permits, should anticipate heightened scrutiny, potential permitting delays, and possible future statutory or regulatory changes once the assessment and task force recommendations are delivered.

25 May 2026, 15:34legis.la.govUnited States

US Fish and Wildlife Service Downlists Rough Popcornflower and Adopts ESA Section 4(d) Rule

US Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized a Federal Register rule downlisting the rough popcornflower from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act and establishing a species-specific section 4(d) rule effective 18 June 2026. The species remains conservation reliant, so developers and land managers in its Oregon range must continue to treat it as an ESA-listed plant, with strict controls on removal and commerce and ongoing consultation risk for projects affecting its wetland habitats.

24 May 2026, 21:37federalregister.govUnited States

Delaware Senate Finance Committee Reports SB 9 (Wetlands Stewardship Act) Out Of Committee

Delaware’s Senate Finance Committee has reported SB 9 (Wetlands Stewardship Act) out of committee, advancing a state wetlands permitting programme that would cover tidal and nontidal wetlands and require DNREC to build a new regulatory framework. If enacted, the bill would shift more oversight from federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction to Delaware, expanding permitting and mitigation obligations for projects affecting wetlands while creating new exemptions and general permits, so land developers, utilities, agriculture and other land‑disturbing operators should start assessing future permitting and timing risks.

22 May 2026, 18:56legis.delaware.govUnited States

California Water Boards Publish CWA 401 Notice for Boxtree Drive Pole and Anchor Removal Project

California Water Boards have opened a Clean Water Act Section 401 public notice for Southern California Edison’s Boxtree Drive pole and anchor removal project in Los Angeles County, with comments due by 10 June 2026. This consultation gives utilities and local stakeholders a short window to raise water quality and wetlands concerns around this small but regulated infrastructure activity.

21 May 2026, 06:36waterboards.ca.govUnited States

Montana DEQ Issues Tentative Clean Water Act 401 Certification for BNSF Bowdoin Siding & Malta Crossover — Comments Due 18 June 2026

Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality has issued a tentative Clean Water Act Section 401 water quality certification for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway’s Bowdoin Siding and Malta Crossover project near Malta, with public comments due by 18 June 2026. This signals that the rail expansion is likely to proceed subject to final conditions, so infrastructure and environmental teams should factor potential wetland impacts, mitigation obligations, and construction constraints into permitting and project timelines.

20 May 2026, 07:12deq.mt.govUnited States

Connecticut Enacts Public Act 26-61 on Riparian Areas

Connecticut has enacted Public Act 26-61 (HB 5334), directing the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to use FY2027 funds to hire staff to train inland wetland commissions on preserving riparian areas from 1 July 2026. This strengthens regulatory capacity for consistent application and enforcement of inland wetlands and watercourses protections, signalling tighter oversight of development and land-use decisions affecting water quality in Connecticut.

18 May 2026, 16:00cga.ct.govUnited States

Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Approves Rules for Use of Land Under Peatlands

In May 2026 Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers approved a resolution creating a special legal regime and mapping requirements for land containing peatlands to guide future ownership and rezoning decisions. This will force authorities and developers to factor peatlands’ climate and water functions into new land-use decisions, aligning Ukrainian policy with EU climate and biodiversity objectives while leaving existing designations and permits unchanged for now.

9 May 2026, 19:01me.gov.uaUkraine

Michigan Legislature Proposes Limits on Wetland Permit Revisions (HB 5938)

In April 2026, Michigan lawmakers introduced HB 5938 to amend the state wetlands permitting statute, limiting how the department can revise permits when holders request changes. If enacted, this would give wetland permit holders more certainty that change requests will not trigger broader permit reopeners or unrelated new conditions, reducing regulatory risk for Michigan projects affecting wetlands.

5 May 2026, 14:15legislature.mi.govUnited States

Michigan House Natural Resources And Tourism Committee Schedules Hearing On Wetlands And Emissions Bills

Michigan’s House Natural Resources and Tourism Committee has scheduled an April 22, 2026 hearing on seven environmental bills covering wetlands regulation, mitigation credits, fishing limits, and air-emissions profile data. While still at committee stage, this package signals potential future changes to wetlands permitting and emissions reporting for Michigan projects, warranting early monitoring by developers and industrial operators.

23 Apr 2026, 09:23legislature.mi.govUnited States

New York Assembly Bill A10936 Clarifies Tidal Wetlands Definition For Marine And Coastal District

In April 2026, the New York Assembly introduced Bill A10936 to amend the Environmental Conservation Law so that “tidal wetlands” explicitly cover areas bordering tidal waters within the state’s marine and coastal district. If enacted, this immediately effective change could broaden which coastal parcels are treated as protected tidal wetlands, tightening permitting and land-use constraints for shoreline development and infrastructure projects in the affected district.

19 Apr 2026, 17:26assembly.state.ny.usUnited States

European Commission Approves €1.3 Billion German State Aid Scheme for Rewetting of Farmed Peatlands

The European Commission has approved a €1.3 billion German state aid scheme to fund rewetting of drained farmed peatlands through direct grants running until the end of 2029. This long-term subsidy support strengthens EU climate and land-use objectives by channelling substantial public finance into peatland restoration projects rather than imposing new regulatory duties.

19 Apr 2026, 16:42ec.europa.euEuropean UnionGermany

Ukraine Proposes Cabinet Resolution on Special Legal Regime for Peatlands

Ukraine has advanced a draft Cabinet resolution establishing a special legal regime for peatland lands, following a public consultation and a March 2026 workshop emphasising their role in climate policy and water security. If adopted, the measure will formalise peatland mapping and land-use restrictions in the state cadastre, forcing local authorities and land users to integrate climate, water, and biodiversity protection into planning decisions.

16 Apr 2026, 15:49me.gov.uaUkraine

Oregon Enacts HB 5203 Increasing Removal‑Fill and Wetland Permit Fees Through 2030

Oregon has enacted HB 5203, immediately increasing state agency fees including significantly higher costs for Department of State Lands removal-fill and wetland permits through 2030. Operators must adjust capital planning and project budgets to account for escalating multi-year permitting costs for any activities impacting state wetlands or waters.

10 Apr 2026, 15:42olis.oregonlegislature.govUnited States

Louisiana SB 452 Would Ban Most Coastal Use Permits on Lake Maurepas From August 2026

Louisiana Senate Bill 452 proposes to prohibit most new coastal use permits for construction and development on Lake Maurepas starting August 2026. Operators must verify if planned infrastructure projects fall within narrow exemptions for existing facilities and dredging to avoid significant permitting barriers and project delays.

3 Apr 2026, 18:49legis.la.govUnited States

Delaware Senate Introduces SB 9 to Create Statewide Nontidal Wetlands Permitting Program

Delaware has proposed the Wetlands Stewardship Act to establish a comprehensive state-level permitting program for all tidal and nontidal wetlands. This move closes federal jurisdictional gaps and introduces a no net loss standard, requiring infrastructure and industrial operators to plan for expanded mitigation and state-level oversight.

3 Apr 2026, 18:40legis.delaware.govUnited States

New Hampshire DES Adopts Env-C 800 Ecological Review Rule For Threatened And Endangered Species

New Hampshire has formalized ecological review requirements for projects affecting threatened species and critical habitats under new administrative rules effective early 2026. Businesses must account for mandatory sixty-day review timelines and annual permit screening renewals to prevent project delays and manage biodiversity-related operational risks.

1 Apr 2026, 14:22des.nh.govUnited States

EU Commission Issues Guidance on Adapting Natura 2000 Sites to Climate Change

The European Commission issued new guidance in March 2026 to align Natura 2000 site management with climate adaptation goals under existing nature directives. Businesses should anticipate more dynamic conservation requirements and potential site boundary shifts that could complicate permitting and land-use planning for projects near protected areas.

31 Mar 2026, 19:10environment.ec.europa.euEuropean Union

Minnesota House Introduces HF4764 On Wetland Replacement Siting Priorities

Minnesota introduced legislation in March 2026 to eliminate geographic exemptions for wetland banking, mandating a strict local-to-regional siting hierarchy for all mitigation. This shift will likely increase project costs and development timelines by restricting the availability of usable wetland credits to the immediate vicinity of impacted sites.

28 Mar 2026, 20:28revisor.mn.govUnited States

Minnesota Senate Introduces SF 4911 To Modify Wetland Replacement Siting Rules

Minnesota introduced SF 4911 in March 2026 to revise siting and priority requirements for wetland replacement and banking. This proposal could shift geographic constraints and cost structures for project developers required to offset wetland impacts within the state.

27 Mar 2026, 20:51revisor.mn.govUnited States

Minnesota MPCA Seeks Comment on Draft CWA Section 401 Certification for TH 74 Culvert Replacements (Winona County)

Minnesota is consulting on a draft Clean Water Act Section 401 certification for a regional infrastructure project through April 2026. This highlights the rigorous application of state antidegradation standards and wetland mitigation requirements for construction and infrastructure activities.

27 Mar 2026, 07:55scs-public.s3-us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.comUnited States