Judge Temporarily Blocks Enforcement of Biden’s Water Rule in 24 States

The historic Augusta Canal, the showstopper of Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, runs the length of downtown Augusta and is part of the Savannah River waterways that separate the Peach State of Georgia from the Palmetto State of South Carolina. Ralph Daniel/Explore Georgia/TNS

A federal judge in North Dakota has temporarily blocked the implementation of the Biden administration’s controversial “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule, granting the request of a coalition of 24 states and more than a dozen industry groups.

On Dec. 30, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final “Revised Definition of Waters of the United States” rule, broadening what types of water sources were subject to federal regulation under the Clean Water Act.