The government narrowly avoided a major shutdown after President Trump signed the bipartisan budget deal on Friday morning. The minor shutdown, lasting less than 10 hours, was the second government shutdown in just three weeks. The signed bill allows the government to be funded through March 23, giving Congressional appropriators enough time to create an omnibus spending bill that would fund government agencies for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Also this week the applicability date of the Waters of the United States Rule has been officially delayed until February 6, 2020 as of Wednesday this week. The rule was originally published in June 2015 by the Obama Administration, but its enforcement has not been a priority under EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's leadership. Led by New York, ten states as well as a coalition of environmental groups have already filed lawsuits against the Trump Administration over this delay. If the delay leads to a repeal and replacement of the WOTUS Rule, it could greatly impact the region's bodies of water.
