Fifteen AGs Filed Lawsuit Challenging Repeal of 2015 Waters of the United States Rule

New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 15 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers challenging the agencies’ repeal of the 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule that defines the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act, and its reversion to a narrow and outdated rule first adopted by the Reagan administration in 1986. AG James warned that the agencies’ rollback “ignores science and the law and strips our waters of basic protections,” and emphasized that “[a]ttorneys general across this nation will not stand by as the Trump Administration seeks to reverse decades of progress we’ve made in fighting water pollution.”

• Documents: ComplaintNY Press Release
• Document Type: Complaints Press Releases/Statements
• States: California Connecticut Illinois Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan New Jersey New York Oregon Rhode Island Vermont Virginia Washington Washington, D.C.
• Agencies: Department of Defense Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Issues: Clean Water Act Oceans and Water Policy Water Water Pollution Waters of the United States
• Era: Trump Administration
• Explanation of Outcome:This case was voluntarily dismissed because the agencies issued a new rule. Read the order here.
• Action Type: Litigation