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Opening statement at ag subcommittee hearing on WOTUS proposed rule and its impact on rural America
Story Date: 3/18/2015
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Source: Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Conservation & Forestry Ranking Member Michelle Lujan Grisham, US HOUSE AG COMMITTEE, 3/17/15
--As Prepared for Delivery--
"Good morning. I’m pleased to be here today for the Subcommittee’s first hearing of this Congress, my first as Subcommittee Ranking Member. I thank Chairman Thompson for holding today’s hearing and for his continued leadership of this Subcommittee and I look forward to working with him on policies that will promote healthier forests, efficient conservation practices and stronger watershed programs throughout the nation.
"Today’s hearing will discuss the pending rule to define “waters of the United States.” As a Representative from a state that is currently in a historic drought, projected to become a mega-drought over the next several decades, I understand the importance of protecting this scarce resource that is essential for farmers, ranchers, municipalities, consumers and fish and wildlife.
"Policymakers must work together to ensure that communities have access to safe drinking water, agricultural producers have adequate water resources and local economies are not adversely impacted by vague and unclear policies and regulations.
"EPA has stated that the rule is supposed to provide greater clarity on what types of waters are covered under the Clean Water Act, including intermittent and ephemeral rivers. I appreciate the importance of protecting these types of tributaries. 95% of New Mexico’s linear streams are considered intermittent or ephemeral and over 280,000 people in New Mexico receive drinking water from public drinking water systems that rely at least in part on these types of streams and rivers.
"Although I agree with the EPA’s intent to protect clean water, a one-size-fits-all approach often leads to some unintended consequences. Today’s hearing will give us the opportunity to identify those unintended consequences, and look for areas for improvement and common ground on how we move forward.
"I have heard concerns from many stakeholders about how the pending rule could impact their way of living, their ability to regulate and protect clean water, and their efforts to spur economic development. Many of these stakeholders agree that the rule must provide more clarity regarding definitions and jurisdictional issues. I hope our witnesses will be able to provide some specific examples of their concerns and, better yet, some constructive suggestions for areas to make improvement.
"In closing, I would like to welcome today’s witnesses – including Jeff Witte, the Secretary of Agriculture from my home state of New Mexico - for joining us today – and I look forward to their testimony. Again, I thank the Chair for holding today’s hearing and I yield back."
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