The Trump administration moved Friday to strip federal protections from millions of acres of wetlands, delivering a victory to farmers and rural landowners who have long opposed the rules. The proposed rule from the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would significantly narrow the definition of "waters of the United States" protected under the Clean Water Act. This new version is more sweeping than an initial November proposal, potentially stripping protections from 94 percent of U.S. wetlands, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The change defines "relatively permanent" waterways as those flowing every day except for droughts under 30 days, replacing the previous seasonal standard. Environmental groups warn the rollback could end protections for at least one-third of the nation's 3.5 million miles of streams, particularly in arid Western regions facing persistent drought. However, agricultural lobbyists like Zippy Duvall of the American Farm Bureau Federation argue the plan ends regulatory headaches for landowners.

The proposal builds on the 2023 Supreme Court Sackett v. E. P.

A. decision, which previously curtailed EPA authority. Adam R. Telle, overseeing the Army Corps of Engineers, stated the overhaul removes "friction from our economy," while President Trump appointed Telle as acting Army secretary, replacing Daniel P.

Driscoll. The Clean Water Act requires permits from the E. P.

A. and Corps before releasing pollutants or discharging fill material into waterways.