Dunlap outlined the three goals that President Bush has directed the Corps to implement during his administration: defining the jurisdictional reach of the Clean Water Act; refining the permitting process to make it predictable, consistent and reliable; and taking a more science-based approach to decisions on mitigation as a condition of receiving a permit.

When NAHB members presented specific examples of the Corps?EUR??,,????'??? overreaching, Dunlap said there is not much he can do. Congress must change the law to make the process clearer, he said. In the meantime, the Corps is trying to avoid making interpretations on the breadth of its jurisdiction and not taking sides so it can stay out of lawsuits.

?EUR??,,????'??I can?EUR??,,????'???t change the law,?EUR??,,????'?? Dunlap said, ?EUR??,,????'??Or we will invite judges to take over. We must protect this industry from judicial interference.?EUR??,,????'??