Federal water protections matter, but developers say jurisdictional uncertainty and lengthy permit processes can kill approved projects. A federal court in Mississippi’s Southern District is weighing a nearly identical dispute involving Ward Gulfport Properties. Ward Gulfport’s complaint argues that a 2023 Supreme Court ruling undercuts the Corps’ findings there. It found that 1,502 feet of the ditch, called Ditch 1, qualifies as a federally regulated water. Willard Land calls the withdrawal an effective denial.