Judge: Injunction against water rule limited to 13 states

BISMARCK, N.D — A federal judge in North Dakota said Friday that his injunction blocking a new rule by President Barack Obama's administration aimed at regulating some small waterways applies only to the 13 states that sued to block the rule and not nationwide.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson clarified the temporary injunction he issued last week at the request of North Dakota, Arkansas and 11 other states. They sought to stop the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers from regulating some small streams, tributaries and wetlands under the Clean Water Act.

The EPA maintained after Erickson's initial ruling that the injunction applied in only those 13 states and said it had begun enforcing it elsewhere. The states had argued that the judge made no geographical limitation in his ruling and it should apply everywhere.

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