The Trump Administration has published a revised rule defining which water bodies are subject to federal jurisdiction. The Navigable Waters Protection Rule, a replacement for the Obama Administration’s waters of the United States rule, was published in the Federal Register on April 21. The publication will set off a round of litigation over the rule, which is set to become final on June 22.
The Southern Environmental Law Center plans to file suit against the rule, which “leaves many waterways vulnerable to pollution, fill and destruction,” says Kathleen Sullivan, spokeswoman for the center. Sullivan says the group’s attorneys are still reviewing the rule, which appears to be the same as a draft rule issued in January. SELC has also challenged the repeal of the previous waters of the U.S. rule.