Lion's office will be closed November 27 and 28. Online training support is available every day from 8:30 AM to 5 PM ET via support@lion.com.
Search

POTUS Orders Review of WOTUS Rule

Posted on 3/1/2017 by Roger Marks

In yesterday’s edition of Lion News, we discussed two EPA regulations that may face legal challenges in 2017. Hours later, the President took action on one of those rules, signing an executive order to require the new Administrator of the EPA to review the Final Rule “Definition of Waters of the United States,” or “WOTUS Rule.”

Read the full Executive Order here.

Waters of the United StatesIn addition to requiring a review of the WOTUS Final Rule, which is already the subject of a court battle, Section 3 of the Executive Order requires EPA to interpret the term “navigable waters” in a manner consistent with the opinion of Antonin Scalia in Rapanos v. United States.
In his opinion on Rapanos v. United States, Justice Scalia referenced a Supreme Court case from 1870, The Daniel Ball, in which the court interpreted “navigable waters” to mean those waters that are “navigable in fact, or susceptible to being rendered so.” 

When it created the WOTUS Rule, EPA based its interpretation of “navigable waters” on Justice Kennedy’s concurring statement in the Rapanos case, which provides for a more broad interpretation than Scalia’s opinion on the case.

For more information on major Supreme Court cases that informed EPA’s interpretation of “navigable waters” and the “Waters of the United States,” read:

EPA Jurisdiction—Sackett v. EPA
Post-Rapanos Guidance from EPA and Army Corps of Engineers
 

New Clean Water Act Training - Online 24/7

New for 2017! The Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act Regulations Online Course i will help you build a full understanding of the EPA’s major water regulations and how they affect your operations.

Major topics covered in the new online course include:
  • NPDES permit and control requirements  
  • SPCC plan basics and EPA reporting obligations
  • US EPA pretreatment standards
  • EPA’s Underground Injection Control (UIC) program
  • Water quality standards for public systems and MCLs
More courses for EHS Managers:
Clean Air Act Regulations Online
TSCA Regulations Online
Clean Water Act & SDWA Regulations Online
New! Superfund and Right-to-Know Act Regulations Online 

Tags: Act, Clean, EPA, new rules, Water

Find a Post

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

I have over 26 years of environmental compliance experience, and it has been some time since I have attended an environmental regulations workshop. I attended this course as preparation for EHS Audits for my six plants, and it was exactly what I was looking for.

Frank Sizemore

Director of Regulatory Affairs

No comparison. Lion has the best RCRA training ever!!

Matt Sabine

Environmental Specialist

Lion's information is very thorough and accurate. Presenter was very good.

Melissa Little

Regulatory Manager

The instructor was energetic and made learning fun compared to dry instructors from other training providers.

Andy D’Amato

International Trade Compliance Manager

The instructor was very engaging and helped less experienced people understand the concepts.

Steve Gall

Safety Leader

These are the best classes I attend each year. I always take something away and implement improvements at my sites.

Kim Racine

EH&S Manager

Given the choice, I would do all coursework this way. In-person courses go very fast without the opportunity to pause or repeat anything.

Ellen Pelton

Chemical Laboratory Manager

The workshop covered a lot of information without being too overwhelming. Lion is much better, more comprehensive than other training providers.

George Alva

Manufacturing Manager

Well designed and thorough program. Excellent summary of requirements with references. Inclusion of regulations in hard copy form, as well as full electronic with state pertinent regulations included is a great bonus!

Oscar Fisher

EHS Manager

The instructor's energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge of the subject make the class a great learning experience!

Brian Martinez

Warehouse Operator

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Just starting out with shipping lithium batteries? The four fundamental concepts in this guide are the place to start.

Latest Whitepaper

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.