Trump administration proposes stripping wetland protections

MAINE PUBLIC • November 28, 2025

A rule proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency would strip federal protections from seasonal and intermittent wetlands, including streams and waterbodies in Maine. Anya Fetcher, federal policy advocate with the Natural Resources Council of Maine said the rule could impact more than 200 miles of streams in the state. Wetlands are protected from unpermitted pollution or destruction under Maine environmental laws. But Fetcher said there have been efforts in the past to dilute those safeguards and the could be rolled back in the future. "Without the safety net of the federal protections that is where we would see more risk of pollution or loss of these streams and wetland areas," Fetcher said.