"The Biden administration laid out plans today [Friday] for scrapping and replacing a contentious Trump-era Clean Water Act rule that pulled back federal protections for millions of streams and wetlands.

EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers said they will follow a two-pronged approach to revoke the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule while revising the definition of "Waters of the United States," or WOTUS, which defines which waters fall under federal protection.

The rule’s fate and how quickly it can be rewritten are politically explosive for President Biden. It has pitted environmental groups against developers and farmers for decades and sparked partisan fights on Capitol Hill.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan in a release said his agency is committed to crafting an "enduring" definition of WOTUS by listening to all sides, while Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said farmers and rural Americans must have a "seat at the table and a voice in this process so that the rule responds to concerns and realities on the ground.""

Hannah Northey reports for E&E News July 30, 2021. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Biden Bid To Revamp Trump Water Rule Faces Long Slog" (E&E News) [3]

"Biden To Return To Pre-Obama Water Protections In First Step For Clean Water Regulations" (The Hill) [4]