Source: Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Zippy Duvall, 12/17/18


In 2015 the Obama administration created a “waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule that was so broad and vague that almost any spot where rainwater flows or pools might be tagged as a federally protected body of water. With the stroke of a pen, farmers and ranchers across the heartland suddenly did not know if state or federal law applied to their lands and what their compliance obligations would be. Like many of our stakeholders and constituents, we immediately saw the enormous consequences of this egregious regulatory overreach. The Clean Water Act is a flagship statute—and like many laws, it works best when its requirements are clear.

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