Waters rule to be tweaked, not withdrawn

Gina McCarthy, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), reiterated at a House Appropriations Committee hearing that the agency plans to release an altered Waters of the U.S. rule this spring.

According to the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), McCarthy confirmed that the final rule would differ significantly from the original draft. She had hinted previously at the changes during a joint congressional hearing. NSSGA says McCarthy definitively stated that EPA will not re-propose the rule but will give interested parties a chance to comment on the changes, ignoring withdraw calls from 34 states and thousands of stakeholders.