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EPA Announces Plans to Narrow Clean Water Act Protections

The agency aims to redefine federal oversight of wetlands and waterways following a Supreme Court decision limiting its regulatory authority.

The headquarters of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 18, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo
FILE - Bethsaida Sigaran, left, of Baltimore, her brother Jaime Sigaran, with American Rivers, and Thea Louis, with Clean Water Action, join supporters of the Clean Water Act as they demonstrate outside the Supreme Court, Oct. 3, 2022, in Washington, as the court begins arguments in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - The sun sets over the marshy wetlands of the Florida Keys, Oct. 17, 2024, in Big Pine Key, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
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Overview

  • The EPA plans to revise the definition of 'waters of the United States' under the Clean Water Act, reducing federal protections for certain wetlands and streams.
  • This move aligns with the 2023 Supreme Court Sackett v. EPA decision, which restricted federal regulation to wetlands directly connected to navigable waterways.
  • EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin emphasized creating a clear, durable framework to address longstanding disputes over waterway protections.
  • Republican lawmakers and agricultural groups support the change, citing reduced regulatory burdens and lower costs for businesses and landowners.
  • Environmental groups warn that narrowing protections could harm wetlands, increase pollution, and threaten safe drinking water for millions of Americans.