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Reps. Conaway and Thompson slam Administration’s WOTUS rule
Story Date: 5/28/2015
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Source: PRESS RELEASE, 5/27/15
House Committee on Agriculture Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) and Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee Chairman Glenn 'GT’ Thompson (PA-5) released the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers final “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule. This rule further obscures the original intent of the Clean Water Act (CWA) by significantly expanding waters subject to federal jurisdiction.
“America’s farmers and ranchers deserve a government that will review and address their concerns. Instead, the process by which this rule was established ignored them. Even input from the states was ignored, clearly displaying the arrogant, 'government knows best’ attitude ever-present in this Administration.
“Through hearings, letters, and public forums we have repeatedly asked the Administration to work with stakeholders to achieve the goals of the CWA rather than act as a schoolyard bully. Our requests were dismissed in favor of the expansion of federal authority despite bipartisan opposition from Congress and the public.
“It is ironic that the agencies’ defense of this rule is that it provides clarity to producers regarding what is and is not regulated. These hollow assurances hold little comfort for farmers and ranchers who will face steep civil fines for any violation.
“This is why the House voted overwhelmingly in favor of H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015. We must enact this legislation that forces EPA and the Corps to pull this regulation and do as they should have from the beginning: work with states and local stakeholders to develop a new and proper set of recommendations.”
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