What to Know About the New Conforming WOTUS Rule: A County Engineer’s Perspective
Virtual Event | On-Demand Recording
This webinar is available on-demand. If you have trouble accessing the recording, please email nacomeetings@naco.org.
On September 8, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) published a rule to revise their January 2023 definition of Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) to conform with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA. This ‘conforming’ rule revises the January 2023 definition of WOTUS by eliminating references to the “significant nexus” test, amending the definition of “adjacent,” and removing interstate wetlands from the definition of WOTUS, in addition to making other changes.
Join this webinar to hear from the National Association of County Engineers on the potential impacts of the new conforming WOTUS rule.
Watch Recording
Click here to access the recording in a new window.
Advocacy Hub
Waters of the U.S. Action Center
Find the latest resources from NACo on Waters of the U.S.
EPA releases proposal to repeal 2009 greenhouse gas endangerment finding
On July 29, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposal to rescind the 2009 endangerment finding. Following the announcement from EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a supporting report—A Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate.
U.S. House of Representatives introduce Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act
On July 25, U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.-04) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine-02) introduced the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act. This bipartisan bill would amend the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to clarify ambiguity and streamline the permitting process.
U.S. Congress passes reconciliation bill: What it means for counties
On July 3, the U.S. Congress passed sweeping budget reconciliation legislation.
White House signs executive orders to advance nuclear power
On May 23, President Trump signed four executive orders focused on expanding the nuclear energy industry. The executive orders aim to position nuclear power as a key contributor to energy reliability, economic growth and national security — especially as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and military operations increase demand for stable, high-density power sources.
U.S. Supreme Court issues unanimous decision in landmark National Environmental Policy Act case
On May 29, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado that will reshape requirements for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environment impact statements.
Interest in energy generation builds in the West
Counties are exploring the potential for energy generation on their public lands, but local control will set the stage for a tradeoff.
Advocacy Hub
Through NACo, advocate for county priorities in federal policy making. Find our latest advocacy toolkits, federal policy analysis and more.