MADISON, Wis. (WSAU) — Wisconsin’s Attorney General says the Environmental Protection Agency is selectively interpreting a court order stopping them from enforcing new water rules.
Brad Schimel is arguing that the federal judge’s order blocking the new EPA water pollution regulations should apply nationwide. The EPA says the judge’s injunction is only valid in 13 states, and they plan to implement the rules in the remaining 37 states including Wisconsin. Schimel issued a statement Friday saying there is a well-established precedent showing the court’s injunction affects all 50 states, and he is joining other states to seek clarification from the court.
The EPA claims the new rules determine which waterways fall under federal protection. Landowners claim the new rules will be burdonsome and require more permits. The rules also treat some normally-dry drainage ditches as wetlands, which many landowners protest.
Wisconsin has a federal lawsuit filed against the EPA in Georgia, and there are similar suits attempting to block the new regulations filed around the country.
