The National Association of REALTORS® is deeply concerned in the Environmental Protection Agency’s and Army Corps of Engineers’ final Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, announced on December 30, 2022. The rule will take effect 60 after publication in the Federal Register.
The regulated community and many states have called for a rule that provides the clarity and certainty essential for predictable and efficient permitting. Unfortunately, the agencies failed to pay attention to the input they received during their public comment process, as well as their regional roundtables on the proposed rulemaking. Instead, the rule’s reliance on vague terms and unclear definitions will make it very difficult for any business or individual who own or develop property to comply with the requirements of the Clean Water Act (CWA).
Rather than providing clarity and certainty for property owners and other regulated stakeholders, this definition of WOTUS adds uncertainty and confusion to the regulatory process, raises housing costs and increases federal overreach in the permitting process.
In addition, the new rule comes at a time when the Supreme Court is weighing the scope of the CWA in the case of Sackett v. EPA. A ruling in the Sackett case could negate (or render irrelevant) significant elements of this WOTUS rule, which will create even more confusion for landowners and real estate businesses throughout the country.
NAR members work to protect and steward water resources, and a clear, efficient definition of WOTUS would enable us to continue to do so. Regrettably, EPA’s new water rule not only makes these efforts more difficult, it also puts sorely needed infrastructure projects at risk and threatens to make housing even more expensive for America’s families.
Public Fact Sheet: Revised Definition of Waters of the United States Final Rule (epa.gov)