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WOTUS withdrawal likely, but debate will continue

The controversial Clean Water Act rule—also known as Waters of the U.S. or WOTUS—is likely to be withdrawn by the next administration.

President-elect Trump has criticized WOTUS and his pick to head the EPA, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, also opposes the rule.

But according to Scott Yager, environmental counsel for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, withdrawal of the rule doesn’t mean WOTUS goes away.

“If the administration decides to withdraw the rule, you can expect that there’s going to be a lot lawsuits from environmental groups against that withdrawal,” Yager says, “and that it will be tied up in litigation for some time.”

In the meantime, Yager says, NCBA will be looking to Congress to legislate a definition of WOTUS—or for EPA to eventually issue a new rule that, in Yager’s words, “works for landowners”.

Yager commented during a recent NCBA webinar.

AUDIO: Scott Yager