Stop the Back and Fourth: EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers are working to update the definition of WOTUS

“We can finally put into place rules that will have some staying power, which will give certainty to landowners across the country.”

The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers are working to update the definition of Waters of the United States after a Supreme Court ruling. It signals a turning point in an issue that has caused uncertainty for farmers and ranchers for more than a decade.

According to Rep. Dan Newhouse, “We can finally put into place rules that will have some staying power, which will give certainty to landowners across the country. I’m glad that the current EPA leaders are opening this up so that we can achieve the certainty that property owners have so long been working for.”

Newhouse is hopeful the agencies will get it right, in light of the Supreme Court’s Sackett decision.

“This yo-yos back and forth depending on who’s in the White House or who’s controlling Congress,” he notes. “People need more certainty than that so that they can make long-term decisions on how to utilize their property.”

Last month, the EPA and Army Corps released new guidance. They removed the “discrete features” rule, which means wetlands separated by things like berms or dry land no longer count as waters of the United States.

Related Stories
Shells from restaurants are collected, cleaned, and returned to the water, where they can support new growth.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins joined us to discuss fertilizer markets, domestic supply efforts, trade priorities, and ongoing policy work aimed at stabilizing costs for U.S. farmers.
Louisiana State University Professor Shelly Pate Kerns says a late freeze forced widespread replanting of some crops across the state.
Strong demand for U.S. beef in Mexico is boosting exports, with buyers seeking both variety meats and high-quality cuts like Prime and Choice ribeye.
Lewis Williamson with HTS Commodities joined us to discuss the latest crop progress report and how market uncertainty and input costs are shaping planting decisions this spring.
As AI-driven data centers expand in rural South Texas, local officials and economists debate water use, farmland impacts, and the balance between technology growth and agriculture preservation.