Dissent Episode Six: The Clean Water Act Comes Under Attack

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The Intercept

Politics, Unknown, Daily News, History, News

4.8 • 6.3K Ratings

🗓️ 22 February 2023

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Which wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act? That’s the question before the Supreme Court in Sackett v. EPA. Back in 2004, Michael and Chantell Sackett purchased a residential lot near the idyllic and popular Priest Lake in Idaho. In preparation of construction, the Sacketts started filling the lot with gravel and sand. But after an anonymous complaint about the dredging and filling, the Environmental Protection Agency ordered the Sacketts to stop construction until the proper permits and assessments were sorted out. The EPA argued that the Sacketts were building on a wetland protected by the Clean Water Act. Instead of securing federal permits, the Sacketts took their case to the Supreme Court for a second time.

This week on Dissent, host Jordan Smith is joined by Sam Sankar, the senior vice president for programs at Earthjustice, a leading environmental law organization. Smith and Sankar discuss the Clean Water Act, wetlands and “navigable waters,” and the powerful interests backing the Sacketts. The outcome of the case, Smith and Sankar warn, could further gut the EPA’s ability to prevent pollution of the nation’s waters and combat climate change.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Every day, in every newsroom around the world, there's a meeting to decide what leads the news.
0:07.0	You cover this from a totally different angle.
0:09.0	I'm quite excited.
0:10.0	In this new podcast, we're flinging the newsroom doors open,
0:13.0	and you'll get to hear the argument for yourself.
0:15.0	As each week, three journalists hitch the story they think mattered most.
0:20.0	I mean, you know what I'm saying.
0:22.0	I'm James Harbing, I'm from Podomo and taught us this is the news meeting.
0:26.0	Find it wherever you get your podcasts.
0:37.0	I'm Jordan Smith, a senior reporter for the Intercept.
0:41.0	Welcome to Descent, an intercepted mini-series about the Supreme Court.
1:01.0	In the northern panhandle of Idaho, nestled below the Selkirk Mountains,
1:06.0	is a body of water that the state touts as its crown jewel.
1:11.0	Just miles from the Canadian border, priest lake is 19 miles long, up to 369 feet deep,
1:19.0	and has a surface area of nearly 37 miles.
1:23.0	The area is home to all kinds of wildlife, including bears and bald eagles.
1:28.0	And it's a popular vacation spot.
1:31.0	There's boating, and I've read excellent fishing.
1:35.0	According to the local Chamber of Commerce, it's a magnificent spot to take in the northern lights.
1:42.0	It's also known for its pristine waters.
1:47.0	Don breaks on the northern end of priest lake on a quiet July morning,
1:53.0	casting a golden glow on the water.
	...

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