The 2023 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule is no longer in effect in Alabama after a ruling by a federal judge in North Dakota halted implementation of the rule on Wednesday.
The WOTUS rule under the Biden administration outlines the federal government's authority to regulate water in streams and wetlands under the Clean Water Act.
Mitt Walker, director of governmental and agricultural programs at Alabama Farmers Federation, said in a statement, "[T]his ruling is a win in our fight for clear, concise rules based on the knowledge that farmers and landowners are wise stewards of the land."
"We appreciate Attorney General Marshall for taking action against the federal government's blatant regulatory overreach," Walker added.
Marshall and 24 attorneys general filed the suit on February 21.
The preliminary injunction halts enforcement of the rule in Alabama, and the other plaintiff states pending further judicial review.
"The Biden Administration's latest power grab has been brought to a halt with the court's announced injunction against the WOTUS Rule," Marshall said in a statement. "While the Clean Water Act granted the federal government important powers to regulate 'navigable waters' like rivers, the Biden Administration seeks to claim authority over even isolated ditches and ponds. But these local matters are reserved to the States, which are best equipped to manage them. Alabama, its farmers, and landowners play a critical role in protecting our dynamic and robust aquatic ecosystems, and managing local waters is their responsibility, not that of a bureaucrat in Washington."
States impacted by the April 12 ruling are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
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