Trump signs executive orders directing EPA and Army Corps to revise wetland permitting

President Trump signed two executive orders on March 13, 2026, directing federal agencies to remove regulatory barriers to housing construction. One order instructed the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to revise Clean Water Act Section 404 wetland permits and stormwater rules to reduce housing development costs. A second order directed HUD, Commerce, and Transportation agencies to eliminate burdensome residential zoning and building code requirements. Trump framed the orders as emergency measures to address the housing affordability crisis ahead of the 2026 midterms.