U.S. EPA drops challenge of Redwood City salt ponds’ protection under Clean Water Act

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday backed down from its stance that the Redwood City salt ponds are not protected by the Clean Water Act, signaling a change in the Biden administration’s direction on environmental issues.

The EPA withdrew its appeal of a federal judge’s finding that the agency had mistakenly determined that the salt ponds were not part of the “waters of the United States.”

The Redwood City salt ponds are a 1,365-acre area adjacent to the San Francisco Bay filled with tidal pools, marshland, and commercial salt mining operations.