EPA looks to rescind Obama-era ‘Waters of the U.S.’ regulation
Federal Register proposal comes days after Trump administration moves to repeal of federal fracking rule

By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

The Trump administration formally moved Wednesday to repeal the 2015 Waters of the U.S. rule, dealing another blow to the Obama-era environmental regulatory regime.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army announced that the proposed water rule withdrawal would be published Thursday in the Federal Register, launching the 30-day comment period.

In addition to rescinding the 2015 Clean Water Rule, the agencies said they also will re-evaluate the definition of U.S. waters, in keeping with President Trump’s Feb. 28 executive order.

“We are taking significant action to return power to the states and provide regulatory certainty to our nation’s farmers and businesses,” EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said in a statement. “This is the first step in the two-step process to redefine ‘waters of the U.S.,’ and we are committed to moving through this re-evaluation to quickly provide regulatory certainty, in a way that is thoughtful, transparent and collaborative with other agencies and the public.”

The proposed repeal comes days after the Bureau of Land Management launched the process of rescinding the 2015 rule placing federal restrictions on hydraulic fracturing on public lands.

Rolling back the regulations essentially would codify the status quo, given that neither the fracking nor the water rule has been implemented.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017...us-rule-filing/