DES MOINES, IOWA (April 13, 2023) — The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota today granted a preliminary injunction, stopping the Biden Administration’s new Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule for Iowa and 23 other states. The WOTUS rule is now on hold in a majority of states.
The new WOTUS rule expands the definition of “Waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act to apply to as much as 97% of Iowa’s land. The rule, if allowed to go into effect, will impose additional federal regulations on Iowans, costing them time and money to use their own land. It will also likely raise costs and cause delays for infrastructure projects. By placing a hold on the WOTUS rule, Iowan farmers and landowners will be relieved from those additional regulations while the lawsuit continues.
“This is a huge win for Iowan farmers, builders, and landowners,” said Attorney General Brenna Bird. “And we’re not going to stop here. We’re continuing to fight back against the Biden Administration’s aggressive federal overreach and will turn this into a permanent win.”
The 23 other states granted a hold on the WOTUS rule by this decision include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
The full preliminary injunction ruling can be found here.
