East Idaho Times

U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo, both representing Idaho, have expressed approval of the decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to collaborate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in revising the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.

This move aligns with former President Donald Trump's pledge to reassess and replace an Obama-era regulation that expanded federal oversight over Idaho's land and water resources.

"The Waters of the United States rule is a prime example of Democrats' attempts to usurp state authority in natural resource management for years. This egregious federal overreach forced Idaho’s farmers, ranchers, and landowners to treat ditches and puddles like they were lakes and rivers," stated Senator Risch. "I applaud President Trump and his administration’s work to roll back this unreasonable regulation and deliver policies that work for Idahoans."

Senator Crapo also commented on the matter: "The Trump administration continues to deliver on its promise to reduce the size and scope of the federal government in places where it does not belong--like momentary puddles and groundwater ditches," he said. "I thank EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for his quick actions to revise WOTUS decisions within the law and under the Supreme Court’s clear ruling on navigable waters. It’s time to give water management policies back to state and local on-the-ground experts once and for all."

The 2015 WOTUS rule implemented by the Obama administration extended federal regulatory power over various bodies of water, including temporary streams formed by rainfall, leading to confusion within Idaho's agricultural sector due to increased regulatory requirements.

Both Senators Risch and Crapo have consistently opposed this 2015 regulation, advocating instead for enhanced state and local control over natural resource management.

In response, the Trump administration introduced the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) in 2020 as a replacement for WOTUS. The NWPR aimed at providing clarity by establishing precise definitions regarding what constitutes a “water of the United States.”

However, this rule was repealed by President Joe Biden's administration in December 2022 when a new version redefining WOTUS was issued, significantly expanding federal regulatory authority once again.