ATLANTA — A coalition of 11 states that is fighting the 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule has gained a legal victory as the Southern District of Georgia granted a preliminary injunction blocking the WOTUS Rule for Georgia as well as 10 other states.
The coalition is being led by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. It is touting the court's agreement that the WOTUS Rule could cause states irreparable harm, according to the Attorney General's Office.
“For almost three years, Georgia has led a multistate coalition fighting against the WOTUS Rule, which infringes on the states’ traditional role as primary regulators of land and water resources within their borders,” Carr said in a statement.
“This order shows that the court agrees we are likely to succeed on the merits of our claims, including that the 2015 WOTUS Rule violates the Clean Water Act and the Administrative Procedure Act," he said.
The coalition also includes the states of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Kentucky.
The Georgia Attorney General's Office said injunctions have been issued by the federal courts against the WOTUS Rule and has sided with 24 states.