Biden administration weakens water protections in response to Supreme Court ruling

The Biden administration has weakened regulations protecting wetlands, citing a Supreme Court ruling that limited the federal government's jurisdiction over them. The new rule requires wetlands to be more clearly connected to other bodies of water, departing from previous federal rules. The Supreme Court ruling favored property rights over clean water concerns, narrowing the reach of environmental regulations. The rule change responds specifically to the court's decision and is final. Environmental groups have pushed for a broader definition to protect more waters, while developers and agriculture groups have sought to limit federal power. The new rule takes effect immediately and removes the "significant nexus" test for federally protected waters.