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ATTACHMENT 2 



STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES 

 THE NATIONAL WETLANDS COALITION 



The National Wetlands Coalition is a geographically and economically diverse group of 

 public and private sector entities that have joined together to participate in the efforts of the 

 Congress and the Administration to establish a comprehensive policy for effective 

 conservation and management of the Nation's wetlands. The National Wetlands Coalition will 

 support the adoption of the specific programs and policies that advance the objectives of 

 wetlands conservation, consistent with the following principles: 



1. THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE PRESIDENT SHOULD ESTABLISH A 



COMPREHENSIVE FEDERAL PROGRAM FOR MANAGING THE NATION'S WETLANDS 

 RESOURCE BASE IN A MANNER THAT EFFECTIVELY AND SENSIBLY ACCOMMODATES 

 THE COMPETING, LEGITIMATE DEMANDS FOR CONSERVATION AND USE OF 

 WETLANDS RESOURCES. 



2. GIVEN THE NUMBER AND DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE AFFECTED, AND THE ECONOMIC AND 



ENVIRONMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF THE WETLANDS RESOURCE BASE, A 

 COMPREHENSIVE FEDERAL WETLANDS POLICY SHOULD BE THE PRODUCT OF A 

 NATIONAL CONSENSUS-BUILDING PROCESS. 



•NO OVERALL NET LOSS OF WETLANDS VALUES' IS AN APPROPRIATE GOAL FOR 

 ACHIEVING THE EFFECTIVE CONSERVATION OF SIGNIFICANT WETLANDS VALUES AND 

 FUNCTIONS. THIS GOAL SHOULD BE PURSUED BY IMPLEMENTATION OF A VARIETY 

 OF THE REGULATORY AND NONREGULATORY PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO: CONSERVE 

 THE HIGHEST VALUE WETLANDS; ENSURE THAT DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN 

 WETLANDS CONSERVE WETLANDS VALUES AND FUNCTIONS TO THE MAXIMUM 

 EXTENT PRACTICABLE; ELIMINATE OR STREAMLINE PROCEDURES FOR USE OF 

 WETLANDS OF MARGINAL RESOURCE VALUE; AND, PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR 

 PRIVATE WETLANDS CONSERVATION EFFORTS. 



4. PROTECTION OF THE NATION'S HIGH-VALUE WETLANDS, AND RESTORATION OF 



WETLANDS GENERALLY, WILL REQUIRE AGGRESSIVE NONREGULATORY PROGRAMS 

 INCLUDING PUBLIC ACQUISITION AND INCENTIVES FOR SET-ASIDES AND FOR 

 RESTORATION ACTIVITIES. FEDERAL FUNDING REQUIRED FOR SUCH PROGRAMS 

 SHOULD BE FROM THE BROADEST SOURCES POSSIBLE WITH NO SINGLE INDUSTRY 

 REQUIRED TO BEAR A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THE COST. 



5. SUBSTANTIAL REFORM OF THE SECTION 404 PERMITTING PROCESS IS NECESSARY 



TO CONSOLIDATE AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY, TO EXPEDITE ROUTINE PERMITTING, TO 

 INCREASE FLEXIBILITY IN THE PROGRAM, AND TO PROVIDE GREATER PREDICTABILITY 

 IN ALL CASES. CRITICAL TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SENSIBLE PERMITTING 

 PROCESS IS THE RECOGNITION THAT ALL WETLANDS ARE NOT OF EQUAL VALUE AND 

 THAT THE LEVEL OF REGULATION AND MITIGATION IMPOSED SHOULD VARY 

 DEPENDING UPON FUNCTIONS AND VALUES OF AFFECTED WETLANDS, DEGREE AND 

 DURATION OF IMPACT, AND THE SURROUNDING LAND USE. 



07/13/90 



