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 January 9, 2026, Governor Newsom announced his 2026-2027 $348.9 billion budget proposal. Contrary to his 2025 proposal, this proposal includes a deficit. However, this proposal’s deficit is only $2.3 billion, substantially less than in 2023 and 2024, and the press release calls this projected deficit both “modest” and “solved”. The budget proposal’s deficit projection stands in contrast with the Legislative Analyst’s Office November 19, 2025 report, which predicted an $18 billion shortfall.
The budget site includes a full combined summary, summaries of ...
The intricacies of the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) definition continue to evolve, especially with recent changes initiated under the Trump administration and landmark clarifications from the Supreme Court's Sackett v. EPA decision.
In Nossaman’s California Water Views – 2025 Outlook, we dive into the latest developments, providing an overview of significant regulatory changes underway to the Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permitting processes. We discuss various Executive Orders that are expected to have implications for the implementation of the CWA, insights into ...
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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