Includes bibliographical references (p. 229-244) and index.

Introduction -- The ebb and flow of public perceptions of wetlands -- Administrative law: the short course -- What's a wetland (for purposes of Clean Water Act jurisdiction)? -- Dredge and fill: the importance of precise definitions -- Strange bedfellows: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -- No net loss: lies, damned lies, and statistics -- Wetland mitigation banking: banking on entrepreneurs -- In-lieu fee mitigation: money for nothing? -- Leveling the mitigation playing field -- Wetland enforcement: the ultimate discretionary act -- Regulatory takings in the wetland context -- Concluding thoughts and recommendations. Lawyers, Swamps, and Money is an accessible, engaging guide to the complex set of laws governing America's wetlands. After explaining the importance of these critical natural areas, the book examines the evolution of federal law, principally the Clean Water Act, designed to protect them.