Federal regulation under the Clean Water Act (CWA) continues to evolve rapidly, creating ongoing uncertainty for project planning and permitting. Recent actions—from new executive directives aimed at expediting permits to updated guidance following the Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA decision—are reshaping how the meaning of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) is defined and regulated. At the same time, court decisions are narrowing federal authority in some areas while introducing new complexities in others, including changes to CWA National Pollutant ...
On December 11, 2025, Representative Adam Gray (D-CA-13) and Representative Jim Costa (D-CA-21) announced a legislative package entitled the End California Water Crisis Package. The bills “aim to expand California’s water storage capacity by providing funding and technical support to both develop and maintain water infrastructure projects.” They seek to accomplish their goals by “authoriz[ing] additional California water storage projects, eas[ing] permitting restrictions, and creat[ing] enforceable timelines for environmental review processes.”
Both ...
On January 24, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14181 (EO 14181), entitled “Emergency Measures to Provide Water Resources in California and Improve Disaster Response in Certain Areas.” While alluding to assisting Americans in disaster areas generally, EO 14181 largely focuses on significantly changing water management policies in California.
Key Provisions of EO 14181 and the Impact on Water
The first three sections of the executive order are the ones primarily focused on California water.
- Section 1, entitled “Policy,” notes that “it is the policy of the ...
Recently, Lyn Clancy, Managing Associate General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor for the Lower Colorado River Authority, and I presented on the topic of Endangered Species and Water Supply at the State Bar of Texas’ Changing Face of Water Law Conference in San Antonio. Issues of water supply and delivery continue to be a hot topic nationwide, including in Texas, and supply and delivery projects often intersect with the need to address species of plants and wildlife listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The presentation included several primary takeaways ...
California Water Views provides timely and insightful updates on the water sector in the state. We relay information on how water legislation and policy from the nation’s capital, Sacramento, and around the U.S. affect California’s water utilities, agencies, practitioners, and consumers. We also write about important events, conferences, legal cases, and other key happenings involving all things water in and around California.
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