State environmental agencies regulate wetlands under various laws such as those pertaining to water pollution, shoreline management and forest practices.

Local governments regulate wetlands primarily through zoning and similar ordinances.

"And in Texas, and most other states as well, if the federal government isn't regulating wetlands, no one is."

Even the state, which regulates only wetlands of at least 12.4 acres, classifies wetlands in four categories of increasing importance to water quality.

And, even though state wetlands regulators have officially opposed his bill, he said the states were better able to regulate wetlands than the Federal Government.

Developers have long challenged the Corps' right to regulate wetlands that are not free-flowing into navigable waters.

Another concern is regulating flood plains and wetlands, according to Mr. Byrnes.

The report was ordered by Congress itself two years ago to provide a credible scientific basis for regulating wetlands, thus removing the issue from politics.

Officials of the Army Corps of Engineers, which regulates wetlands, briefed industry and environmental groups on the proposal today.

The Supreme Court upheld the Act's coverage in regulating wetlands that intermingle with navigable waters.