WASHINGTON EXAMINER: EPA holds fall meeting blitz on rolling back water rule
“EPA is committed to an open and transparent process for reviewing the definition of ‘waters of the United States,'” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. The rule, sometimes called the “puddle” rule, expanded the definition of waterways to include small streams and even ditches, greatly increasing EPA’s jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act to cover private land owners such as farmers and ranchers. The rule also makes it more difficult for developers, miners and oil and natural gas drillers to operate. “Receiving input from across the country will help us make informed decisions as we move through our two-step process that will return power to the states and to provide regulatory certainty to our nation’s farmers and businesses,” Pruitt said.
