Nov. 17 (UPI) -- The Trump administration proposed changing the definition of wetlands Monday to limit which bodies of water are protected from pollution under the Clean Water Act.
The administration's new definition counts only "Water of the United States," which includes oceans and lakes, as it left most of the country's wetlands and streams up to interpretation over how often their waters flow.
"There will be less that will be regulated by the federal government," EPA administrator Lee Zeldin told reporters Monday.
While the proposed rule is a setback for environmentalists, it was a victory for businesses, which under the current law are required to secure a permit from the EPA before releasing pollutants or debris into any body of water.
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