The U.S. EPA and Army Corp of Engineers are hosting a listening session for local governments on Tuesday, May 6 from 3 p.m.–5 p.m. to share your perspectives on the waters of the United States.
On March 12, 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agencies' intent to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) to follow the clear direction of the Supreme Court in Sackett v. EPA (2023), while eliminating red tape, cutting compliance costs, and reducing the cost of living. To achieve this vision, the agencies will develop a proposed rule to revise the amended 2023 definition of WOTUS.
The listening sessions are intended to help EPA and Army Corp of Engineers understand stakeholders’ real-world perspectives and experiences with WOTUS implementation to inform the agencies’ upcoming proposed rule. The agencies are seeking input on key topics related to the definition of "waters of the United States," consistent with the Supreme Court's ruling in Sackett, regarding continuous surface connection, relatively permanent, and jurisdictional versus non-jurisdictional ditches.
The Waters of the U.S. defines which waterbodies are federally regulated under the Clean Water Act. The WOTUS definition has been an ongoing issue since the Obama Administration and subject to numerous court challenges, including at the U.S. Supreme Court level. It is one of several regulatory reviews/rollbacks that the EPA is currently undertaking.
This session is free to attend, but requires advanced registration that closes at noon on May 5.
Contact: Paul Penna, Director of Government Affairs, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.