Corps of Engineers narrows WOTUS jurisdiction excluding wetlands

On Mar. 11, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule excluding ephemeral streams from the Clean Water Act’s “waters of the U.S.” definition (EPA fact sheet).

The rule implements the Supreme Court’s 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision, which confined federal jurisdiction to relatively permanent waters (SCOTUSblog).

The EPA’s Regulatory Impact Analysis projects $230 million in annual compliance savings from reduced permitting and administrative requirements (EPA RIA).