Executive Order 13778: Review of Waters of the United States Rule
President Trump signed Executive Order 13778 on February 28, 2017, directing the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to review and reconsider the 2015 Waters of the United States rule. The order instructed agencies to propose a new rule that would narrow the federal definition of waters subject to Clean Water Act regulation. The practical effect was to reduce federal jurisdiction over certain wetlands and water bodies, allowing states and property owners greater authority over land use decisions on their properties.