Trump Administration Proposes Revisions to WOTUS

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have proposed a revised definition for “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) that would limit the number of wetlands and waterways that would receive federal protections under the Clean Water Act. Under the new proposal, six types of water resources will qualify for federal protections, including traditionally navigable waters, tributaries, impoundments, wetlands adjacent to traditionally navigable waters, some ditches, and some lakes and ponds. The new definition also covers streams and creeks that flow year-round or intermittently into larger downstream waters, including navigable waters and other tributaries to them. EPA Office of Water chief David Ross indicated that the new definition would specifically apply to intermittent or perennial streams that contribute flow to navigable waters in a “typical year,” referring to a rolling 30-year average. The proposed definition would remove federal protections for ephemeral streams that flow only after heavy rainfall or snowmelt, and wetlands without surface water connections to larger waterways or wetlands, such as those separated from tributaries by land, dikes or other features. E&E News reported that a 2017 presentation prepared by the EPA and Army Corps shows that the proposed rule would remove federal protections for more than 18 percent of streams and 51 percent of wetlands. “Our new, more precise definition mean...
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news