On March 24, 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published plans to seek stakeholder input on implementing a new definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The EPA’s goal...more
3/25/2025
/ Clean Water Act ,
Comment Period ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Jurisdiction ,
Navigable Waters ,
New Guidance ,
Proposed Rules ,
Rapanos v US ,
Sackett v EPA ,
SCOTUS ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands
On May 25, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court announced a five-Justice Majority decision in the case of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency. Justice Alito, writing for the majority, stated that the Clean Water Act only...more
Withdrawal expands “functional equivalent” test for discharges that the Supreme Court established in County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rescinded January 2020 guidance on...more
Announcement Follows Federal District Court Decision Vacating Trump Administration Waters of the United States Rule -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced on September 3 that...more
A South Carolina federal judge issued an order late last week allowing the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, the Trump administration’s “waters of the United States” rule, to remain in place while the U.S. Environmental...more
Legal Filing Asks Court to Remand 2020 Rule Narrowing Scope of Clean Water Act -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers announced their intent to revise the reach of the federal Clean Water...more
Clarity Provided for New “Functional Equivalent” Test -
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published guidance on how to apply the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in County of Maui v. Hawai’i Wildlife Fund. The...more
12/11/2020
/ Clean Water Act ,
Comment Period ,
Direct Discharge ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Draft Guidance ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Groundwater ,
Hawaii Wildlife Fund v County of Maui ,
Navigable Waters ,
Point Sources ,
SCOTUS
County of Maui v. Hawai’i Wildlife Fund -
Last week, the Supreme Court announced a 6-3 decision in the case of County of Maui v. Hawai’i Wildlife Fund. The decision involves whether a federal permit is required under the...more
4/27/2020
/ Appeals ,
Clean Water Act ,
Direct Discharge ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Functional Equivalent ,
Groundwater ,
Hawaii Wildlife Fund v County of Maui ,
Navigable Waters ,
Permits ,
Point Sources ,
Remand ,
SCOTUS ,
Vacated ,
Waters of the United States
EPA and Army Corps of Engineers New “Waters of the U.S.” Definition Takes Effect on June 22 -
On Tuesday, the Federal Register will officially published the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers final...more
4/23/2020
/ Clean Water Act ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Deregulation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Federal Jurisdiction ,
Inland Waterways ,
Navigable Waters ,
Property Owners ,
Public Agencies ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands
EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Give New Waters of the U.S. Definition -
The Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers today issued a final rule with a new definition of “Waters of the United States” that...more
1/24/2020
/ Clean Water Act ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Deregulation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Federal Jurisdiction ,
Final Rules ,
Inland Waterways ,
Manufacturing Facilities ,
Navigable Waters ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands
WOTUS Definition Court Challenges Continue -
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers published a final rule in the Federal Register that repeals their 2015 Clean Water Rule defining the scope of...more
10/31/2019
/ Clean Water Act ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Deregulation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Federal Jurisdiction ,
Final Rules ,
Inland Waterways ,
Navigable Waters ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands
The Trump Administration’s proposed rule defining “Waters of the United States” under the federal Clean Water Act was published last week in the Federal Register....more
2/18/2019
/ Clean Water Act ,
Comment Period ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Deregulation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Federal Jurisdiction ,
Inland Waterways ,
Navigable Waters ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands
For the second time in the last 4 years, and the seventh since the Clean Water Act was adopted in 1972, the federal government has revised the definition of the term “Waters of the United States” for the purposes of the...more
12/13/2018
/ Clean Water Act ,
Comment Period ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Deregulation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Inland Waterways ,
Navigable Waters ,
NPRM ,
Proposed Rules ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands
The Supreme Court issued a decision last week regarding which federal courts have jurisdiction to hear challenges to the 2015 Waters of the U.S. Rule....more
1/29/2018
/ Appeals ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Inland Waterways ,
Judicial Review ,
Jurisdiction ,
Jurisdictional Determination (JD) ,
National Association of Manufacturers v DOD ,
Navigable Waters ,
SCOTUS ,
Waters of the United States