At first glance, it’s hard to understand why the Clean Water Rule — popularly known as the “Waters of the United States rule” — inspires so much fury. It’s a technical regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency clarifying which streams and wetlands fall under federal clean water protections — a question that had been causing legal confusion for years.

But when the rule was published in June 2015, it triggered fierce blowback from farming and industry groups across the country. “Opponents condemn it as a massive power grab by Washington,” Politico reported at the time, “saying it will give bureaucrats carte blanche to swoop in and penalize landowners every time a cow walks through a ditch.” Many of those criticisms were overblown, but the rule was widely viewed as a prime example of EPA overreach under President Obama.

Donald Trump made the Waters of the United States rule a high-profile issue in his campaign — and now he’s planning to roll it back. On Tuesday, he’s signing an executive order that asks new EPA Administrator […]