Judge Blocks WOTUS In Indiana, 10 Other States

Attorney General Curtis Hill approves of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia's decision to block the Waters of the United States rule or WOTUS in Indiana and 10 other states — Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Kentucky.

A similar injuction was granted to 13 other states in 2015. 

The Obama-era rule outlines which bodies of water can be regulated by federal agencies and expands it to smaller bodies of water like rivers and lakes. Some farmers worry the rule would put every small stream under the microscope, creating a lot of hassle and expense.

In a statement, the attorney general said WOTUS infringes on Indiana’s rights to regulate its own resources. The recent ruling by a federal district court isn’t the only thing standing in the way of WOTUS, however. President Donald Trump’s administration has put the rule on hold for two years. 

Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.