Those closer to environmental problems and impacted by them know these issues better and care about them more than DC bureaucrats pushing one-size-fits-all policies. This vision is in line with what Congress intended when it passed the Clean Air Act (CAA) and Clean Water Act (CWA). Both statutes intended for states to play the primary role on air and water quality. Over the years though, the EPA has usurped state and local power and ignored Congressional intent.
The United States has some of the best air quality in the world, something that sometimes get lost given all of the scare tactics that are disseminated in the media. CEI has been a leader in pushing back against such alarmism, as well as the junk science and regulatory games that the EPA plays to improperly justify costly air quality regulations.
CEI believes that any air quality standards should be informed by sound science and do more good than harm. This is hardly controversial, but it remains an uphill battle with an often out of control EPA.
When it comes to the CWA, there has long been regulatory uncertainty. For decades, the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have continued to overreach on what waters are even regulated under the Clean Water Act. In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court finally provided some clarification on this key issue in Sackett v. EPA, but the Biden administration is not implementing the opinion properly.
CEI has extensive CWA expertise, especially when it comes to the “Waters of the United States” or WOTUS issue, and is using that expertise to ensure that the federal government follows the law, respects the principles of federalism embedded in the CWA, and provides clear and workable definitions for property owners. This is just part of our CWA work, which also covers issues such as state abuse of the Section 401 certification process and EPA retroactive vetoes of Section 404 permits.
Featured Posts

Blog
Time to shut down IRIS—for good
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reportedly preparing to eliminate its Office of Research and Development, which houses the controversial Integrated Risk Information System…

News Release
Supreme Court declines to issue stays against two EPA rules
Earlier today, the Supreme Court declined to issue stays against the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) methane and mercury and air toxic standards (MATS) rules. Director…

Study
Corn Whiskey Clarity
Over the past two decades, Iowa has implemented several reforms aimed at enhancing the efficiency of its environmental permitting procedures. This report focuses on two…
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Study
Develop New Approaches to Preserve Ocean Resources
Liberate to Stimulate Index The world’s fisheries face severe decline. Because many of the world’s ocean resources are not “owned,” they tend…
Study
Affirm the Role of Property Rights in Water Rights Policies
Liberate to Stimulate Index Battles over limited water supplies in the United States and around the world have long produced conflicts and…
Study
Purify Federal Water Policies
Liberate to Stimulate Index Drinking Water. Drinking water policy should focus on how best to ensure that Americans have clean and safe…
Study
Ensure Consumers’ Access to Bottled Water
Liberate to Stimulate Index Bottled water offers many important benefits— including portability, emergency applications, and convenience. The bottled water industry had been…
News Release
EPA Ratchets Up Campaign to Destroy Jobs
Washington, D.C., January 14, 2011 — The Competitive Enterprise Institute today sharply criticized the Environmental Protection Agency for its decision to revoke a Clean Water…
Study
Lead in Drinking Water
Full Document Available in PDF During the winter of 2004, the District of Columbia discovered…
Staff & Scholars

Daren Bakst
Director of the Center for Energy and Environment and Senior Fellow
- Energy and Environment
- Lands and Wildlife
- Property Rights

Sam Kazman
Counsel Emeritus
- Antitrust
- Automobiles and Roads
- Banking and Finance

Marlo Lewis, Jr.
Senior Fellow
- Climate
- Energy
- Energy and Environment

Ben Lieberman
Senior Fellow
- Climate
- Consumer Freedom
- Energy

Angela Logomasini
Adjunct Fellow
- Chemical Risk
- Consumer Freedom
- Energy and Environment