Environmental groups are decrying the Biden administration's decision to leave the Trump-era definition of "waters of the United States" (WOTUS) in place while EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers craft a new definition and are calling on the administration to repeal the 2020 rule as soon as possible to protect vulnerable communities. "Every day the 'Dirty Water Rule' stays in effect, America's waterways remain at risk," Jon Devine, director of federal water policy for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a June 9 statement. "The Biden Administration's planned proposal to repeal the rule is a step in the right direction, but lacks the urgency required to restore full legal protections for the lakes and rivers that supply drinking water to millions of people." Julian Gonzalez, legislative counsel for Healthy Communities at Earthjustice, said June 9 that the Biden administration's formal announcement of its intent to revise the Trump WOTUS rule falls well short of the administration's commitments to protecting the environment and communities. "We are urging the EPA to swiftly extend full Clean Water Act protections to all the nation's waters, as they are urgently needed to stop destruction from industry polluters caused by Trump's Dirty Water Rule," Gonzalez said. "Critical wetlands, rivers and streams are being destroyed from coast to coast at a rapid rate with the [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers'] aggressive implementation of the Trump Rule."
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