Barrasso Statement on EPA's Final WOTUS Rule

Statement

Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) released the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) release of the final "waters of the United States" (WOTUS) rule.

"Instead of reaching a reasonable solution, today the EPA has ignored millions of Americans and taken more control over private land in our country. There is bipartisan agreement that Washington bureaucrats have gone beyond their authority and have no business regulating irrigation ditches, isolated ponds and other "non-navigable' waters as waters of the United States. Under this outrageously broad rule, Washington will have control over how family farmers, ranchers and small businesses not only use their water, but also their privately owned land.

"After last week's news reports, it's clear that the EPA would rather skew public comments in its favor than acknowledge the real concerns Americans and Congress have with this overreaching rule.

"Instead of moving forward with a rule that fails to represent the interests of many Americans, we should act immediately to pass the bipartisan Federal Water Quality Protection Act. We can protect America's waterways and our farmers, ranchers and landowners. Today's action ensures further momentum for our bill that says yes to clean water -- and no to extreme bureaucracy."

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