Search

Texas vs. EPA Decision Halts 2015 WOTUS Rule in 3 States

Posted on 9/17/2018 by Roger Marks

In a recently wrapped-up court case named Texas vs. EPA, a Texas District Court judge decided this week not to impose a nationwide halt to the implementation of the Obama-era Waters of the United States Rule (WOTUS Rule). The judge did agree, however, to halt implementation of the new Clean Water Act requirements in three states: Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

The new WOTUS requirements—which essentially expand the applicability of Clean Water Act programs like SPCC Planning, oil spill notifications, NPDES permitting, stormwater discharge, and dredge-and-fill—are now blocked in 26 states and in effect in the remaining 24.

Do you know the latest Clean Water Act rules that impact your facility? Identify the CWA rules that you must know to maintain compliance, from discharge limitations to NPDES permitting, underground injection control (UIC), oil spill preparedness and reporting, and more. The Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act Online Course is available now! 


Now Where is the 2015 WOTUS Rule In Effect?

The rule was already blocked in Mississippi under a previous court decision. At this time, the new district court decision will impact Texas and Louisiana only. See the updated map below to see if the 2015 WOTUS Rule is in effect in your state now, or not.  
 

2015 WOTUS Rule in Effect: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

2015 WOTUS Rule NOT in Effect: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

2015 WOTUS Rule Blocked by Latest District Court Decision: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi

Further Reading: WOTUS Timeline

Keeping the saga of EPA’s WOTUS rule—which now includes input from EPA, district courts, Circuit Courts, the Supreme Court, and interest groups on both sides of the argument—is increasingly difficult.

Below we’ve updated our approximate timeline of major WOTUS-related events since the rule was finalized in 2015, with links for more information.

Complete EHS Manager Training

Understanding the air, water, and chemical regulations that apply to your facility will help you communicate clearly and confidently with your organization and better defend your business against costly fines, penalties, and future liability.
 
Check out the Complete Environmental Regulations Online Course . The online course is packed with training content, tutorials, resources, and FAQs that clarify and simplify the complex, overlapping EPA rules you must know. 

Tags: Act, Clean, EPA, new rules, Water, Waters of the United States, WOTUS

Find a Post

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

These are the best commercial course references I have seen (10+ years). Great job!

Ed Grzybowski

EHS & Facility Engineer

Lion's course was superior to others I have taken in the past. Very clear in the presentation and the examples helped to explain the content presented.

George Bersik

Hazardous Waste Professional

Much better than my previous class with another company. The Lion instructor made sense, kept me awake and made me laugh!

Marti Severs

Enterprise Safety Manager

Very witty instructor, made the long times sitting bearable. One of the few training courses I can say I actually enjoyed.

John Hutchinson

Senior EHS Engineer

More thorough than a class I attended last year through another company.

Troy Yonkers

HSES Representative

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

Matt Sabine

Environmental Specialist

My experience with Lion training, both online and in the classroom, is that they are far better organized and provide a better sequential explanation of the material.

Robert Roose

Manager, Dangerous Goods Transportation

The instructor created a great learning environment.

Avinash Thummadi

CAD & Environmental Manager

The instructor made the class enjoyable. He presented in a very knowledgeable, personable manner. Best class I've ever attended. Will take one again.

John Nekoloff

Environmental Compliance Manager

Excellent job. Made what is very dry material interesting. Thoroughly explained all topics in easy-to-understand terms.

David Hertvik

Vice President

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Look beyond the annual "Top 10 List" to see specifics about the most cited OSHA health & safety Standards and the individual regulations that tripped up employers the most last year. 

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.