The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on March 12, 2025, that it will work with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to review the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS).
The two agencies will work to ensure the revision follows the law, reduces red tape, and cuts overall costs.
The revision looks to add clear and simplified direction for farmers, landowners, businesses and states, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency.
According to an EPA press release, the definition of “waters of the United States” guides Clean Water Act implementation, including whether farmers, landowners and businesses must secure permits before they can pursue a project.
The EPA stated it will start its review by “expeditiously obtaining input from stakeholders who were sidelined during the previous administration.”
The WOTUS revision will be guided by the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, which stated that the Clean Water Act’s use of “waters” encompasses only those relatively permanent, standing or continuously flowing bodies of water forming streams, oceans, rivers and lakes, according to the EPA.
