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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Blog
Environmental Protection Agency to California: Clean up Your Act
In two separate actions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week put California on notice that the state is violating federal air and water…
Blog
New Rule to Limit State Government Abuse of Clean Water Act for Climate Activism
Making good on a promise made in an April 10th Executive Order entitled Promoting Energy Infrastructure and Economic Growth, the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a rule restricting…
The Washington Examiner
Climate Hawk Republicans Are Wrong to Look to Carbon Tax as Green New Deal Alternative
The Washington Examiner cites CEI’s recent carbon tax video. The Competitive Enterprise Institute has produced a video that describes how the costs of a carbon…
Blog
EPA Streamlines Infrastructure Approval Process under Clean Water Act
Making good on its promise in Executive Order 13868 to combat the abuse of section 401 of the Clean Water Act by states seeking to block…
Blog
EPA Mercury Rule an Inappropriate Exercise of Regulatory Power
On Wednesday, I submitted comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to rescind its justification for the 2012 Mercury Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule.
Comment
CEI Joins Pacific Legal Foundation Comments on EPA/Army Corps 2019 Proposed Regulation Defining “Navigable Waters” under the Clean Water Act
Pacific Legal Foundation, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, and Washington Cattlemen’s Association are pleased to submit the following comments on the EPA and the…
Staff & Scholars

Daren Bakst
Director of the Center for Energy and Environment and Senior Fellow
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Sam Kazman
Counsel Emeritus
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Marlo Lewis, Jr.
Senior Fellow
- Climate
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Ben Lieberman
Senior Fellow
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Angela Logomasini
Adjunct Fellow
- Chemical Risk
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- Energy and Environment