President Donald Trump issued an executive order Tuesday to begin rolling back the Obama-era Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule of the Clean Water Act, which would have given federal agencies authority over small bodies of inland water.

U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem expressed support for the decision, calling WOTUS "one of the largest federal land grabs" in U.S. history.

"Today's actions are a step toward reversing the rule's impact and lifting another regulatory burden from the shoulders of hardworking farmers, ranchers and homeowners," Noem said.

According to a statement from Rounds' office, WOTUS, which was signed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in May 2015, would have given the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and EPA control of man-made water management systems, farm ponds, drainage ditches and any other water deemed to have a significant nexus to downstream water. A federal appellate court suspended the rule's nationwide implementation in 2015.

Rounds said WOTUS would have required farmers, ranchers and landowners to spend hours filling out paperwork before conducting agricultural activities or spraying weeds.

"I applaud President Trump for taking steps to undo this necessary, misguided overreach," Rounds said.

At the signing, Trump called the rule a disaster for farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers across the country after federal officials misinterpreted their authority over navigable waters.

"The EPA's regulators were putting people out of jobs by the hundreds of thousands, and regulations and permits started treating our wonderful small farmers and small businesses as if they were a major industrial polluter. They treated them horribly. Horribly," Trump said in the Roosevelt Room, according to the White House website.

Trump said a Wyoming rancher was fined $37,000 a day for digging a watering hole for his cattle, and he directed the EPA to take action to change the rule.

U.S. Sen. John Thune, too, expressed his support on Twitter, saying he was happy to keep unnecessary regulations out of South Dakota.

"Happy to hear @POTUS took an important first step in ditching WOTUS and keeping the federal government out of South Dakotans' backyards," Thune said.

With the order, the USACE and EPA were instructed to formally reconsider the rule, but it is unclear when changes could be implemented.

Environmental groups, however, were quick to denounce Trump's action.

"Trump's decision today is a path to dirtier water and more toxic disasters," said Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune in a press release.