Washington,
September 9, 2014
|
Olivia Hnat
(202-225-3164)
Washington, D.C. - Tuesday, Congressman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) voted in support of H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act, that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers from expanding federal control under the Clean Water Act (CWA). It would also require these federal agencies to consult with state and local officials regarding the scope of the CWA.
Wenstrup, a cosponsor of H.R. 5078, warned that these burdensome regulations would come at a high cost to farmers and businesses in Southern Ohio. The proposed rule would give the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction over almost all areas with a connection to navigable waters, such as ditches, ponds, and flood plains.
“Southern Ohioans need relief from the tightening grip of the EPA,” Wenstrup said. “I have concerns that this land grab by the federal government will negatively impact farmers and businesses across Ohio by requiring them to comply with costly and time-consuming regulations.”
“H.R. 5078 is a common-sense bill that the Senate should also take up,” Wenstrup added. “The federal government cannot encroach on power reserved for state governments to regulate waters in their jurisdictions.”
On May 1, 2014, Wenstrup also joined a bipartisan letter to the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers expressing concerns that the rule would bypass Congress, create ambiguity, and contradict previous Supreme Court decisions that limited federal authority under the Clean Water Act.
The Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act passed the House with bipartisan support. It now awaits further action in the Senate.