Press Releases

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders’ statements in response to today’s announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers of a proposed rulemaking to define and clarify “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act:

“As soon as President Trump took office, he rightly acted to halt the previous administration’s WOTUS rule – an attempted expansion of federal authority over the rights of small businesses, farmers, manufacturers, local communities, and private citizens,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA).  “The goal must be a reasonable regulatory structure that recognizes that there are limits to federal jurisdiction, that provides certainty for job creators and communities, and that protects our water and environment.  I commend the administration for moving forward today to better achieve that goal.”

“The 2015 rule was an expansion of federal power that used bureaucrat-speak to strip landowners of their rights and local governments of their ability to manage waters within their borders,” said Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Garret Graves (R-LA).  “This new approach is the product of doing it the right way – openly, with the input of the American people.  The new rule respects the rights of private property owners and the sovereignty of states, right-sizes the federal government’s role in enforcement, and provides clarity where there was confusion.  Instead of forcing a top-down, one-size-fits-all mandate, it recognizes that the issues on the ground in places like Arizona are fundamentally different than in places like Louisiana and gives states the flexibility to manage those differences.  Most importantly, it doesn’t compromise the goal: preventing pollution, ensuring clean water, and protecting wetlands.”

“I applaud President Trump’s efforts to reverse the power grab attempted by the Obama Administration,” said Committee Member and former Chairman of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Bob Gibbs (R-OH).  “It is clear enforcement of the Clean Water Act must be a collaborative effort between the federal and state governments.  This is an issue I’ve been fighting for several years, working to make sure our agriculture community, homebuilders, private property advocates, and local governments are given a clear set of jurisdictional rules.  We can protect the environment, encourage economic growth, and safeguard private property rights without unnecessarily expanding federal jurisdiction.  This WOTUS rule does that while providing the certainty our nation’s farmers and ranchers need.”