The Trump administration plans to rescind an EPA rule requiring states to consider tribes’ rights to fish, hunt and gather wild plants when establishing water quality protections — a policy the administration argues went beyond the agency’s authority.
Finalized under the Biden administration, the rule provided an avenue for tribes to compel state and federal regulators to account for their consumption of traditional plants and animals when setting water quality standards. Those standards form the basis for protecting rivers, lakes and other water bodies from pollution.
Under works for months, the agency is now close to moving forward with a proposal to rescind the rule, according to a notice Friday by the Office of Management and Budget.
The rule, “Water Quality Standards Regulatory Revisions To Protect Tribal Reserved Rights,” was a key part of the Biden administration’s strategy to address water pollution and infrastructure challenges on tribal lands.
