New WOTUS Rule Becomes Effective Today

Environment
Published

The “Navigable Waters Protection Rule” (NWPR), which is the Trump Administration’s new definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS), becomes effective today in every state except Colorado.

Implementation begins after Judge Joseph Seeborg of the Northern District of California denied a request last Friday from 17 states, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, the District of Columbia, and the City of New York to issue a preliminary injunction and block the rule nationwide.

Hours later, a district court judge in Colorado issued a preliminary injunction solely in the state of Colorado, which is considering establishing its own wetland permitting program. NAHB had moved to intervene in both of these cases before the decisions were issued.

The NWPR will provide several benefits to builders and developers while continuing to protect important water bodies. For example, it encompasses traditional navigable waters and territorial seas, which Congress clearly intended for federal oversight. However, it also narrows the extent of federal jurisdiction by excluding isolated water bodies, “ephemeral” waters that form only in response to rain, and most ditches. As a result, fewer residential construction projects will trigger federal permitting requirements.

As the rule becomes effective, NAHB is working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that builders and developers realize its potential benefits. On June 19, NAHB and other industry trade associations met virtually with EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water Dave Ross, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Ryan Fisher, and other senior political and career agency employees to discuss issues related to the rule implementation. The discussion covered issues such as how to distinguish an excluded ephemeral feature from a jurisdictional intermittent feature, identify adjacent wetlands, and apply the new definition of "uplands" that applies to features lacking all three wetland factors (i.e., plants, soils, hydrology). The meeting marked the beginning of an ongoing dialogue.

Visit nahb.org/wotus for updated resources, including an analysis of the new rule, a video on its implementation, and a PowerPoint presentation that describes its key features and changes compared to prior rules.

NAHB staff is available for presentations or technical assistance. For more information, please contact Michael Mittelholzer at [email protected].

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Environmental Issues

May 30, 2025

NAHB Members Provide Final Recommendations for New WOTUS Rule

NAHB members concluded their participation in multiple “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) listening sessions with strong showings in Washington, D.C., and Salt Lake City. In total, 12 NAHB members and four staff members from NAHB and state home builder associations (HBAs), representing 11 states, provided oral statements at listening sessions.

Workforce Development

May 30, 2025

Statement from NAHB Chairman Buddy Hughes on DOL Decision to Pause Job Corps Center Operations

NAHB Chairman Buddy Hughes issued the following statement after the Department of Labor announced it was pausing Job Corps center operations nationwide.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

May 30, 2025

Multifamily Absorption Moves Lower for New Apartments

The percentage of new apartment units that were absorbed within three months after completion continued to trend lower, according to the Census Bureau’s latest release of the Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units (SOMA).

Economics

May 29, 2025

Treasury Yield Increase Drives Mortgage Rates Higher in May

Mortgage rates continued their upward trend in May due to market volatility triggered by fiscal concerns and weaker U.S. Treasury demand. According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 6.82% — a 9-basis-point (bps) increase from April. The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage increased by 5 bps to 5.95%.

Economics

May 28, 2025

Aging-in-Place Remodeling Work Fell While Familiarity and Receptiveness Remain High

Only 56% of professional remodelers undertake projects designed to allow homeowners to Age-in-Place (AIP), according to results from NAHB’s Q1 2025 Remodeling Market Index (RMI) survey.