WOTUS Comment period extended

WOTUS Comment period extended

Washington—Comments on the proposed rescinding of the controversial Waters of the US rule are now due September 27.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced a 30-day extension late Wednesday afternoon.

Comments on the proposed ending of the Obama-era WOTUS rule were originally due August 28 but that will be extended by the EPA to give environmental groups, industry advocates and the public more time to weigh in.

When the proposal was officially released, the 30-day comment was a point of contention for supporters of the Obama-era rule.

EPA has proposed rescinding the WOTUS rule and putting back in place the Clean Water Act guidance in place prior to the updated version from the Obama administration. It’s not clear what the Trump administration will propose to put in place but expectations are there will be a plan released some time yet in 2017.

In developing the replacement for the WOTUS rule as part of a two-step process, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers “are consulting with state and local government officials, or their representative national organization” to gather information to develop that effort.