New Rules on Saving Wetlands Push the Limits of the Science.

The article reports on a new regulation that recommends the use of a watershed approach and requires enforceable, ecologically-based performance standards in order to improve the track record of mitigation. The new rule set by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council which was prompted by the Congress, are said to replace the past wetland policies including the no net loss of wetlands imposed by 1989 U.S. President George H.W. Bush and by other environmentalist groups which were regarded as inefficient. The new rule extends mitigation policies to streams and standardizes requirements for all types of mitigation and strengthens long-term protection of sites. It is also issued by the agency together with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).