Cramer to EPA: Change Course on Water Regulation

Press Release

Today Congressman Kevin Cramer called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to change course on their proposed "Waters of the U.S." rule which greatly expands federal regulation of water features. Cramer and over 43 members of the House and Senate Western Caucus urged EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to end its rulemaking efforts which would have a disruptive impact on landowners, water users, or any variety of construction.

On March 25, the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers released a proposed rule which would grant the government unprecedented regulatory authority over nearly all bodies of water including small ponds, creeks, ditches, and other occasionally wet areas, including those found on private property. The proposal failed when introduced as legislation in the 110th and 111th Congress, and contradicts two U.S. Supreme Court decisions establishing limits on federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

"There has been strong opposition to EPA's approach due to the devastating economic impacts that a federal takeover of state waters would have. Additional and substantial regulatory costs associated with changes in jurisdiction and increased permitting requirements will result in bureaucratic barriers to economic growth, negatively impacting farms, small businesses, commercial development, road construction and energy production, to name a few," Cramer and other Western Caucus members wrote.

Two House committees of which Congressman Cramer is a member will examine the new rule in oversight hearings. Cramer is also working to insert language into the Department of the Interior appropriations bill for fiscal year 2015 to prevent the rule from moving forward.

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