The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers have released a new proposed Waters of the U.S. rule, aiming to provide clearer, more predictable Clean Water Act regulations.
The proposal, which opens a 45-day public comment period, is designed to align and reduce confusion over which waters fall under federal oversight. Major agricultural groups — including the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association — strongly support the proposal, saying it brings long-needed clarity, respects normal farming practices, and avoids unnecessary federal overreach.
Environmental groups, however, have expressed alarm, arguing the new rule may weaken water protections. Meanwhile, farm organizations emphasize that the rule recognizes state expertise, supports cooperative federalism, and focuses federal regulation on major water bodies rather than minor landscape features like ditches and potholes.
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