A recent Supreme Court decision that substantially narrowed the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate millions of acres of wetlands is expected to open more land for development.
More than half of the nation’s wetlands could lose protection under the Clean Water Act, according to environmentalists and legal analysts. This concerns water quality advocates who fear the ruling will lead to degraded water supplies.
From a developer’s perspective, projects will have fewer regulatory hurdles to overcome, making them faster to move from conception to construction. This could make new housing developments more financially viable during a time of acute housing shortages in many areas of the U.S., they point out.
The case, Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, involved an Idaho couple who tried to build a house on property they’d purchased. The couple filled a soggy part of the property with sand and gravel to prepare for construction. The EPA ordered them to halt construction and return the property to its original state. The couple then sued the agency.
Related Stories
| Jun 26, 2014
Canadian groups combine forces to support EPD program for LEED v4
The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Group and the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) will collaborate to support LEED v4 and CSA Group’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) program.
| Jun 26, 2014
Ohio is first state to roll back renewable energy standards
Ohio became the nation’s first state to roll back renewable energy standards after the state House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 310 and Gov. John Kasich recently signed the measure.
| Jun 26, 2014
Walkable areas lead to higher rents for developers
New research from a George Washington University research group and LOCUS, a coalition of real estate investors that's part of Smart Growth America,says that offices in “Walkable Urban Places (WalkUPs)” bring developers 74% more rent per square foot.
| Jun 18, 2014
ASHRAE publishes guideline on specifying Building Automation Systems
Performance monitoring guidance is a key feature of the document. It provides designers of BAS systems with recommendations for good practice, project considerations, and detailed discussion of design options.
| Jun 18, 2014
Battle over low-cost, Chinese-made solar equipment could stunt solar power growth
The U.S. Department of Commerce tentatively agreed to assess tariffs of up to 35% on solar equipment, a move that could slow the rapid growth of the domestic solar power industry.
| Jun 18, 2014
Senate passes ‘compromise’ bill that green lights 26 new VA hospitals, clinics
The U.S. Senate reached a compromise deal combining elements of two competing Veterans Administration reform bills that would, among other things, gives the go-ahead for the construction of 26 new VA hospitals and clinics.
| Jun 18, 2014
Pittsboro, N.C., approves massive new development plan
The Pittsboro, N.C., Board of Commissioners approved the master plan for Chatham Park, a massive residential and commercial project that could bring 60,000 people to Pittsboro over several decades.
| Jun 11, 2014
AGC to study causes of construction deaths, injuries
The Associated General Contractors of America is conducting a new study to make job sites safer and search for ways to lower the number of injuries and deaths in the construction industry.
| Jun 11, 2014
U.S. infrastructure quality ranks only 19th in the world
The quality of infrastructure in the U.S. ranks just 19th in the world, trailing countries such as Oman, Portugal, and Spain, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report.
| Jun 11, 2014
ISO releases standards for comparing city services worldwide
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has created the first standards to compare services of the world’s cities.
