Updated Definition of “Waters of the United States” Public Comment Period Open: Please Comment on WOTUS by January 5, 2026
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released updated definitions for what constitutes Waters of the United States (WOTUS) on November 17th, 2025. The comment period on the proposed definition change ends January 5th, 2026. Updated language reduces the scope of federal jurisdiction over Clean Water Act permitting by defining terms like “relatively permanent,” “continuous surface …