The Obama Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) along with the Obama U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released a finalized rule clarifying what “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) means vis a vis what can be regulated under the federal Clean Water Act. Unfortunately (but typically) the Obama EPA once again did a power grab and has redefined just about everything but mud puddles as WOTUS and subject to regulation by the EPA. It is, in our opinion, an illegal power grab that must be vigorously opposed by Congress and the courts–to push the EPA back into it’s mansion (they long ago stopped inhabiting a mere box). This new rule is a direct assault on not only the oil and gas industry, but also farmers, ranchers and frankly all landowners with creeks, swamps and ponds (and no, we’re not exaggerating)…
