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EPA seeks more public comment on water rule
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking additional public comments on a supplemental rule to redefine "waters of the United States" (WOTUS), aiming to limit federal protections for wetlands following a 2023 Supreme Court ruling.
- The 2023 Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. EPA curtailed federal authority over certain wetlands, emphasizing property rights, and the EPA's new rule intends to focus federal regulation on relatively permanent water bodies and directly connected wetlands.
- EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated the rule aims to reduce regulatory uncertainty and delegate more water resource management to states and tribes, while critics argue it will harm waterways and wildlife by removing protections from many wetlands.
- Environmental groups warn the proposal could lead to widespread destruction of critical waterways and increase vulnerability to climate change impacts, while the EPA contends it balances federal and state responsibilities effectively.
- The EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will open a 30-day public comment period on the supplemental rule once published in the Federal Register, following extensive stakeholder input and multiple public meetings.
