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Final WOTUS rule, comments are being evaluated

An EPA official says the final Waters of the U.S. replacement rule is being evaluated now.
Tate Bennett is EPA’s Associate Administrator and Ag Advisor. She says, “That comment period actually closed on April 15th, and many of those have weighed in on that, so we’re currently in the process of going through those comments.”

Bennett says the timing of the final rule is unclear, but they are working through the comments now.  Tate says EPA is working towards a uniform rule nationwide. “This is something that the Administrator feels very passionate about, that we need to have one rule for all 50-plus entities that we regulate so that it’s communicated very precisely what rule you fall under.”

The rule defines the scope of waters regulated by the Clean Waters Act.  The original rule was strongly opposed by agriculture, suspended by President Trump and rejected by the courts but remains in effect in 22 states.