Agency Seeks to Reduce Scope of Clean Water Act

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers have issued a supplemental proposed rule that would likely shrink the number of water bodies subject to Clean Water Act jurisdiction. The move continues the administration's efforts to narrow federal oversight of streams and wetlands. The proposal is part of a broader regulatory rollback.

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The joint rulemaking from the two agencies represents a further step in an ongoing administrative effort to redefine the boundaries of federal water protection. This supplemental proposal specifically targets which streams and wetlands qualify for oversight, potentially excluding many smaller or isolated waterways from national jurisdiction.

This action follows a pattern of previous regulatory adjustments aimed at limiting the reach of environmental statutes. The broader rollback suggests a shift toward reducing federal involvement in water management, potentially delegating more