The Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers announced Tuesday their proposal to rescind Obama’s 2015 “Waters of the U.S.” rule. According to the EPA announcement, the proposal would reinstate the regulatory text that existed prior to 2015 and once finalized the rule would provide certainty in the interim while they wait for a re-evaluation and second rulemaking of the definition. “We are taking significant action to return power to the states and provide regulatory certainty to our nation’s farmers and businesses,” says Administrator Scott Pruitt. “This is the first step in the two-step process to redefine ‘waters of the U.S.’ and we are committed to moving through this re-evaluation to quickly provide regulatory certainty, in a way that is thoughtful, transparent and collaborative with other agencies and the public.” The proposal is the result of Trump’s Presidential Executive Order in February to review the ‘Waters of the United States’ Rule. The news is welcome for Basin leaders, farmers and ranchers who have opposed the 2015 rule from its inception.
