A federal judge in North Dakota blocked the Obama administration’s controversial water pollution rule, hours before it was due to take effect.  But the ruling apparently only effects those states, including Missouri, who sued to block implementation of the new law

US Judge Ralph Erickson found that the states suing to block the rule met the conditions for a preliminary injunction.

Those conditions include a showing that they would likely be harmed if courts didn’t act and that they are likely to succeed when their underlying lawsuit against the rule is decided.

The decision is a major roadblock for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers, who were planning Friday to begin enforcing the Waters of the United States rule, expanding federal jurisdiction over small waterways like streams and wetlands.

But the Obama administration says it will largely enforce the regulation as planned, arguing that the Thursday decision only applies to the 13 states that requested the injunction.

(Staff and wire reports)