The Trump Administration removed the Obama-era clean water rules, WOTUS, intended to protect rivers, streams, wetlands and other bodies of water from pollution and runoff.
Under the EPA’s new rules, the federal government will no longer protect streams that only flow during some parts of the year or wetlands that are not connected to larger bodies of water.
Advocates say seasonal streams and wetlands can play a big role in controlling and removing protections could jeopardize that or allow more pollution to flow downstream when it rains.
Governor Kim Reynolds and Iowa senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst have all commended the administration for this decision.