October 30, 2019
Many see President Trump’s repeal of the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule as a victory for farmers and ranchers, but until a new rule is crafted, regulators are working off the standards put in place in the 1980s.
According to Politico, the 1986 policy gives Washington much broader authority over small creeks and wetlands. The WOTUS repeal is facing lawsuits from both sides of the fence.
Environmental groups claim the EPA failed to justify the repeal’s full impact. The New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association say the old rules pose the same problems as the original WOTUS rule itself.
Legal experts say this issue could be stuck in the courts for years to come.
