Federal judge strikes down Trump-era rule reducing waterways protections

• It comes as the world confronts the climate crisis' severe impacts around the globe.

What they're saying: U.S. District Judge Rosemary Márquez wrote in the ruling that Trump officials made serious errors while formulating the policy, which replaced Obama-era standards for dredging or filling waterways.

• "The concerns identified ... are not mere procedural errors or problems that could be remedied through further explanation," Márquez noted. "Rather, they involve fundamental, substantive flaws."
• Approximately 76% of water bodies reviewed by the U.S. Corps of Engineers between June 22, 2020 and April 15, 2021 did not qualify for federal protection under the new rule, according to Márquez.
• Federal agencies reported 333 projects that would've required a permit before draining or filling under the Obama rule but did not under Trump's, per the ruling.

• Leaving it in place would risk "serious environmental harm," Márquez said.

The other side: Some business and farm groups have argued that states are better positioned to regulate their own waterways.

• Homebuilders, oil drillers and farmers have also said earlier restrictions caused challenges for their work.

What to watch: The ruling will likely face an appeal, according to the Washington Post.