The Hill | By: Timothy Cama | January 31, 2018:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pushing back by two years an Obama administration rule redefining the federal government’s power over small waterways.
The Trump administration is working to repeal the rule, dubbed the Clean Water Rule or Waters of the United States (WOTUS), and formally proposed to do so last year.
But earlier this month, the Supreme Court overturned a federal appeals court’s action halting the rule, so it could take effect soon.
EPA head Scott Pruitt said the Wednesday action is meant to stop the Clean Water Rule from taking effect due to the Supreme Court’s action.
“Today, EPA is taking action to reduce confusion and provide certainty to America’s farmers and ranchers,” Pruitt said in a statement.
“The 2015 WOTUS rule developed by the Obama administration will not be applicable for the next two years, while we work through the process of providing long-term regulatory certainty across all 50 states about what waters are subject to federal regulation.”
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