U.S. EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have developed draft guidance for determining whether a waterway, water body, or wetland is protected by the Clean Water Act. This guidance would replace previous guidance to reaffirm protection for critical waters. It also will provide clearer, more predictable guidelines for determining which water bodies are protected by the Clean Water Act. The Agencies' Joint draft guidance was open for a public comment period of 60 days, which was then extended to July 31st, 2011 to allow all stakeholders to provide input and feedback before it is finalized. For a link to the Proposed Guidance, click here. For links to the draft guidance as well as background information, visit the Corps' website here and EPA's website. For the Federal Registry Notice, click here.