EPA, Corps of Engineers seek participants for 10 regional forums on again redefining 'waters of the United States'

The Environmental Protection Agency is planning 10 forums to hear from the public as it rewrites its regulatory definition of "waters of the United States" in the Clean Water Act, and wants suggestions for people who should participate.

EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a notice seeking nominations of a "slate of participants" for regional roundtables from representatives from agriculture, other industries, conservation and environmental groups, developers, and mangers of drinking-water and wastewater systems.

"The agencies said they want the roundtables to highlight how WOTUS definitions affect various regions," Todd Neeley reports for DTN/Progressive Farmer. "The agencies said in a public notice they anticipate the roundtables to be held in December and January."

EPA and the Corps said in their official notice, "The agencies are committed to learning from the past regulatory approaches -- the pre-2015 regulations and guidance, the 2015 Clean Water Rule, and the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule -- while engaging with stakeholders to develop an enduring definition of WOTUS."