Duckworth, Schiff, Colleagues Oppose EPA Water Rule Reducing Protections

WASHINGTON DC — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth joined Senator Adam Schiff and 14 other senators in opposing the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers’ proposed 2025 Waters of the United States rule, which significantly narrows federal protections for wetlands and other water bodies. The rule would exclude waters without continuous surface connections and limit coverage to certain seasonal waters, leaving streams, tributaries, and wetlands vulnerable to pollution, flooding, and ecosystem damage. Lawmakers warned last week the rule could shift costs of degraded water quality and flood management to communities, reduce drinking water safety, and increase legal and enforcement burdens for states while undermining progress made under the Clean Water Act.