Interior Begins Handing Yellowstone Water Oversight in Wyoming Back to the State
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on October 16 began the process of relinquishing federal environmental program authority — including Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 authority — over Wyoming's portion of Yellowstone National Park to the State of Wyoming. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum made the announcement at Yellowstone alongside Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon. Following a 60-day notice period to Congress, the authority will be overseen by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
"President Trump made cutting red tape and putting decisions closer to the people they impact a top priority of this administration," Burgum said in a news release. "The people of Wyoming know its land and water better than Washington ever could," he said, adding that Wyoming DEQ has proven it has the expertise and commitment to protect its own water resources.
Gordon called the move "a proper and practical acknowledgement of the exceptional partnership of Wyoming's DEQ and the National Park Service," noting that Wyoming has in practice managed CWA Section 401 work in the park for years. He said the formal recognition restores the mutual responsibility that has worked so well and will bring greater certainty and responsiveness for Yellowstone visitors while ensuring the park's water resources continue to be protected to Wyoming's high standards.
Yellowstone spans Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, with the great majority of the park inside Wyoming. Section 401 of the Clean Water Act concerns state water-quality certification of federally licensed projects.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：黄石国家公园大棱镜温泉（Grand Prismatic Spring）航拍（资料图）。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons，公共领域。Photo: Aerial view of the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park (file photo). Source: Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
