On Jan. 23, the Trump administration announced it had finalized its rewrite of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.

On August 17, a South Carolina District Court’s ruling overturned the Trump administration's attempted delay of the Obama administration's Waters of the U.S. rule for failing to offer the public a meaningful opportunity to comment. As a result, the 2015 rule is now officially on the books in 26 states — but not in the other 24 states where other district court injunctions are in place.

Jan. 26, 2018 — On Jan. 22, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that lawsuits relating to the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule must start at the lowest level of the federal court system — federal district courts. The administration had argued that those cases should be heard in federal appeals courts.

Jan. 5, 2018 — On Dec. 22, a federal judge blocked the District of Columbia's flushable wipes law until the city issues a labeling rule. The nation's first-ever flushable wipes law was set to take effect in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 1, 2018.

Dec. 22, 2017 — This week, the House and Senate voted on and passed a final $1.5 trillion tax package, and President Trump signed it into law on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.

Dec. 22, 2017 — On Dec. 18, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt signed the final rulemaking for Public Notification Requirements for combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to the Great Lakes Basin.

Dec. 8, 2017 — On Dec. 7, the U.S. Senate confirmed Susan Bodine by voice vote to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcement office, the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

Dec. 4, 2017 — On Nov. 14, WEF and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) filed an amicus brief in support of a District of Columbia law to regulate disposable wipes.

Dec. 4, 2017 — On November 29th, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee approved two nominees for top environmental posts, although the timing of their final votes is still unclear. Other environmental picks are still waiting for the full Senate to act. (Bloomberg BNA, 11/29/17)