Final Clean Water Act Rule Goes Into Effect

On May 27, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Waters of the U.S. Final Rule under the Clean Water Act (CWA). This is an expansion by the Obama Administration of the federal protection of U.S. waterways and drinking water supplies. Many view this new rule as expanding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (Corps) and the EPA's jurisdiction over waters that had not previously been considered "Waters of the U.S.," and therefore subject to federal regulation.

President Obama announced this sweeping new regulation in an effort to restore the federal government's authority to limit pollution in the nation's rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands. This regulation is part of a broader effort by the Obama Administration to use executive authority to build a major environmental legacy, without requiring new legislation from Congress.