A final rule establishing a definition of "waters of the United States” helped restored water protections placed before 2015 under the Clean Water Act.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Army announced the rule Dec. 30, 2022, that is designed “to reduce uncertainty from changing regulatory definitions, protect people’s health and support economic opportunity,” a news release said.
“When Congress passed the Clean Water Act 50 years ago, it recognized that protecting our waters is essential to ensuring healthy communities and a thriving economy,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in the release. “Following extensive stakeholder engagement, and building on what we’ve learned from previous rules, EPA is working to deliver a durable definition of WOTUS that safeguards our nation’s waters, strengthens economic opportunity and protects people’s health while providing greater certainty for farmers, ranchers and landowners.”
Water protections established under the final rule are for traditional navigable waters, interstate waters, territorial seas and upstream resources affecting those waters, the release reported. This will "strengthen fundamental protections for water that are sources of drinking water while supporting agriculture, local economies and downstream communities."
“The rule’s clear and supportable definition of waters of the United States will allow for more efficient and effective implementation and provide the clarity long desired by farmers, industry, environmental organizations and other stakeholders,” Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor said in the release.
