Oklahoma Attorney General moves ahead with fight against Federal Judge’s WOTUS ruling

Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter’s already moved to prevent the recently-reinstated Waters of the U.S. Rule from being implemented in Oklahoma.

In an interview this week with Ron Hays at the Oklahoma Farm Report, Hunter indicated his office has asked Judge Claire Eagan in Tulsa U.S. District Court to issue an injunction.

The filing came after a federal district court judge in South Carolina approved an injunction against the Trump administration’s delay of the controversial rule fought by Oklahoma and 25 other states.

“Taken literally, it would have reinstated the WOTUS rule. And so, what we’ve done is asked Judge (Claire) Eagan of Tulsa, to issue an injunction so that the WOTUS rule isn’t imposed on folks here in the State of Oklahoma,” he said, remarking that other states involved are following suit. “There are actually 26 states that the decision in South Carolina could affect and I think we’re all moving quickly to enjoin the WOTUS rule from going into effect.”

Hunter agrees that this rule would be damaging to the rural and larger business community in Oklahoma and wherever else it might affect people. Hunter said he shares the industry’s hope that the 2015 WOTUS rule will be put to bed once and for all.

“Particularly, for those of us who grew up in agriculture – the idea that a mud puddle or a farm pond is going to be subject to federal regulation just doesn’t make any sense.”