Wetland regulation in the United States: Demanding ecosystem integrity for environmental policy

Wetlands are immensely important ecosystems that have been historically mismanaged and poorly regulated in the United States (Beatley 1994). In the early 20th century, before the hydrological and biogeochemical functions of wetlands were fully understood, many wetlands were considered relatively useless and were frequently used as dumping grounds (Weis & Butler 2009). Due to this mentality, more than half of America's wetlands have been destroyed and developed, disregarding the natural advantages that these habitats provide for the community (Spray & McGlothlin 2004). The market paradigm dictates that media, like wetlands, offer little economic value to individuals because of a lack of marketable resources (Gillroy 2000). Unless a wetland is zoned as specially protected by the local, state, or federal government as public, preserved land, development on a wetland is only a permit away. A Kantian ecosystem paradigm is anthropomorphic, suggesting that humans require the flourishing of natural systems to reach their own autonomy (Gillroy 2000). This approach would treat the environmental quality of a wetland as a social good worth preserving and would value wetlands as an ecosystem and an entity with integrity of its own. This thesis will argue that a more environmentally sound policy design for wetlands can be secured if the Clean Water Act (CWA) and land use policy depended on an ecosystem paradigm rather than a market sector approach.