The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday announced it will seek to repeal the Waters of the United States rule that Republicans and many states oppose because of its broad expansion of federal jurisdiction and enforcement under the Obama administration.

"We are taking significant action to return power to the states and provide regulatory certainty to our nation's farmers and businesses," said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.

Pruitt added that the action is part of a "two-step process" to roll back the Obama administration's broad attempt to redefine "waters of the U.S.," in which the EPA is committed to "moving ... [to] quickly provide regulatory certainty, in a way that is thoughtful, transparent and collaborative with other agencies and the public."