WaterLegacy has conducted extensive research into the Clean Water Act authority of the U.S. EPA under Section 404 to review and, if necessary, veto Army Corps of Engineers permits where the "project may have substantial and unacceptable adverse impacts on aquatic resources of national importance (ARNI)." -- including a legal review and discussion of applicability as described in the recent Draft EIS (November 2009) of the PolyMet sulfide mining project in northeastern Minnesota.

Along with WaterLegacy’s advocacy letter to the EPA and exhibits (listed and linked below), you may view a brief summary of some of the legal research on aquatic resources of national importance and EPA veto authority for ease of review.

EPA's Section 404 veto authority

WaterLegacy’s advocacy letter to the EPA