A Common Sense Rule for Farmers and Builders

For too long, we’ve been kicking around “WOTUS.” Short for “waters of the United States,” it was originally supposed to lay out what was regulated under the Clean Water Act. However, the Obama Administration decided to weaponize it, and we’ve been fighting it ever since.

In 2015, President Obama decided to reinterpret the law. His definition said that every drop of water in the United States could be regulated, even dry ditches or farm puddles. It didn’t matter if it was navigable or even connected to a river. That was ludicrous, making it next to impossible for farmers to build ponds, families to build homes, or states to build critical infrastructure.

President Trump did his best during his first term to fix what President Obama broke, putting forward a clearer definition. Unfortunately, instead of giving farmers and families continued certainty, the Biden Administration came in with its radical environmentalist agenda and kept playing games with WOTUS. They kept pushing the extent of the federal government’s power to regulate with their WOTUS rule, in spite of what the Supreme Court said in 2023, when they narrowed the scope of what could be regulated under the Clean Water Act.

Last week, in a victory for common sense, the Trump Administration put forward a new proposed rule. It intends to provide clarity and certainty for farmers and builders, while adhering to the Supreme Court decision.

While these government rules and regulations may not seem like a big deal to some, it has a major effect on many others. In fact, farmers, infrastructure builders, small businesses, manufacturers, home builders, local communities, and property owners are all affected when the federal government decides to take its power to regulate too far. This proposal protects the rights of states, individuals, and businesses to produce our food and goods, build infrastructure projects, and grow the economy, while also ensuring we have clean water. Hopefully folks now won’t have to worry about the federal government constantly breathing down their necks.

I’m glad President Trump is moving forward on a far better definition of WOTUS, and doing so through a transparent and collaborative process, which we didn’t see during the last administration. The comment period is now open at https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OW-2025-0322-0001, and folks need to make their voices heard. It’s time for a reasonable definition of what the federal government can regulate, and I’m hopeful this move will make that clear.

Sincerely,

Sam Graves