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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have introduced proposals that would significantly weaken federal safeguards for the rivers, streams, and wetlands that supply our drinking water, reduce flooding, and support wildlife.

The agencies’ proposed definition of “waters of the United States” would drastically narrow which waters are protected under the Clean Water Act. The change goes beyond the limitations set by the 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision, opening the door for pollution or destruction of many additional wetlands, headwater streams, and seasonal waterways.

These waters are essential. Wetlands and small streams filter drinking water, trap pollutants, store floodwaters, recharge groundwater, and support the fish, wildlife, and forests that define our region. Removing federal safeguards puts these public resources—and the communities that rely on them—at risk.

If adopted, the proposed rule would:

• Strip Clean Water Act protections from millions of acres of wetlands and potentially millions of miles of streams nationwide.
• Leave many seasonal, isolated, and headwater streams without any federal oversight.
• Eliminate the public’s ability to enforce the Clean Water Act for many waterways.
• Increase the likelihood of pollution, degraded habitat, flooding, and costly cleanup efforts.

While the agencies say the change would lower the cost of doing business, weakened clean water protections ultimately raise costs for communities through higher water treatment expenses, increased flood damage, reduced agricultural productivity, and losses in recreation and tourism.

At the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, we remain committed to conserving the forests, wetlands, and streams that naturally protect water quality in the Upper Delaware River region. We encourage our community to stay informed and speak up, because strong clean water protections are essential to our health, our safety, and our shared future.

Your voice matters. Submit a public comment by January 5 to oppose this weakening of federal clean water safeguards. Urge the EPA to withdraw this harmful rule and maintain strong protections for the waterways that sustain our health, economy, and environment.
Comment here: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OW-2025-0322-0001