This exercise provides a review of the wetlands protection provisions of the Clean Water Act. The exercise focuses on several land development proposals in Midway, Ames that may adversely impact wetlands. Through a series of multiple choice questions, the student advises the developers whether their proposed developments would require a permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act or a state wetlands protection law, and whether a general permit might authorize the proposed developments. In addition, the student examines the procedures that the Corps and EPA use when they issue a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit, the standards for approval of a permit, and the conditions that might be placed on the permit. Finally, the student explores the takings implications that may arise when the Corps denies a developer a wetlands permit. The exercise provides the students with maps of the proposed developments and a copy of a permit application for one of the development proposals. Many of the important statutory provisions are hypertext-linked to the questions for ease of reference. Timing, scoring and hardcopy printout features are available.
