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

This course went above my expectations from the moment I walked in the door. The instructor led us through two days packed with useful compliance information.

Rachel Stewart

Environmental Manager

Excellent class, super instructor, very easy to follow. No rushing through material. Would like to take his class again.

Lawrence Patterson

EH&S Facility Maintenance & Security Manager

Our instructor was very dynamic and kept everyone's interest. Hazmat shipping can be a dry, complicated topic but I was engaged the entire time.

Kimberly Arnao

Senior Director of EH&S

Attending Lion Technology classes should be mandatory for every facility that ships or stores hazmat.

Genell Drake

Outbound Lead

The online course was well thought out and organized, with good interaction between the student and the course.

Larry Ybarra

Material Release Agent

Best course instructor I've ever had. Funny, relatable, engaging; made it interesting and challenged us as the professionals we are.

Amanda Schwartz

Environmental Coordinator

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

Convenient; I can train when I want, where I want.

Barry Cook

Hazmat Shipping Professional

Convenient; I can train when I want, where I want.

Barry Cook

Hazmat Shipping Professional

I love that the instructor emphasized the thought process behind the regs.

Rebecca Saxena

Corporate Product Stewardship Specialist

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Use this guide to spot which tanks and substances are regulated under EPA's Underground Storage Tank program, and which are excluded as of October 2018.

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.