💧Corps of Engineers narrows WOTUS jurisdiction excluding wetlands

Real estate developers and construction companies celebrate reduced federal oversight that previously required environmental impact studies. Property development near streams, wetlands, and waterways proceeds without pollution controls that protected downstream communities from contamination and flooding.

Environmental groups file emergency lawsuits challenging federal authority to weaken Clean Water Act protections that affect drinking water quality. Constitutional conflicts over environmental federalism decide whether states can maintain stricter standards than federal agencies when protecting public health.

Farm organizations secure regulatory relief from environmental constraints that limited drainage, irrigation, and land conversion projects. Rural land use changes accelerate when federal agencies eliminate requirements to preserve natural water filtration systems essential for downstream water quality.

Removing streams and wetlands from federal jurisdiction eliminates pollution barriers that filter contaminants before reaching municipal water supplies. Communities dependent on surface water face increased treatment costs and health risks when natural filtration systems disappear through deregulation.