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Thursday's ruling will not impact 24 states where other legal challenges are pending, but a senior attorney at the group that filed the initial challenge said the ruling is a victory for states where the rule can now go into effect.

the Southern Environmental Law Center that filed the case said the decision to uphold the rule is a victory for states where it will take effect.

\"This is a victory for families and communities across America who depend on clean water, and a rebuke to the polluting industries trying to gut this nation’s bedrock health and environmental safeguards,\" said Geoff Gisler, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. \"Water is a way of life in the South, where clean water is the lifeblood of our economy. We are thrilled the court rejected this administration’s blatant attempts to undermine safeguards that are critical to our nation’s welfare without being accountable to the American people.\"

An EPA spokesperson said the agency and Army Corps of Engineers will review the ruling to determine the next step.

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