The Trump administration’s speedy timeline for enacting a major Clean Water Act rule has drawn pushback from state regulators, local governments, utilities and environmentalists, who said they will be scrambling over the holidays to digest the proposal.
EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers gave the public 45 days to comment on the proposed new “waters of the U.S.” definition unveiled Nov. 17. It’s a fast turnaround compared to prior efforts under the Biden, Obama and first Trump administrations to amend the hotly contested policy, and it encompasses the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays.
“Given the complexity and significance of these changes, stakeholders need adequate time to review the proposal and assess its operational and legal implications,” the National League of Cities, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies and other groups wrote in a letter requesting a 30-day extension.
The proposal would shrink the number of wetlands and streams regulated by the Clean Water Act. It seeks comment on a range of technical issues, including how “wet” wetlands and small streams must be to qualify for the law’s protections.
