CongressmanBob Goodlatte

Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) released the following statement in support of the announcement today that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers are proposing a rule to rescind the controversial 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule created under the Obama Administration:

“Today, the EPA took a stand for common sense, personal liberty, and upholding constitutional governance. The federal government has an important role to play in supporting a healthy environment, but the WOTUS rule made little sense and flew in the face of both federalism and economic realities. Repeal of the WOTUS rule has been a long-fought effort that is good news for American farmers, businesses, and municipalities who would be most directly impacted by the far-reaching burdens of the original rule.”

“At its core, WOTUS was an example of unworkable federal government overreach that dramatically expands the EPA’s authority over regulating waterways, including those on private property, and would place even more small streams and creeks under the agency’s control. Protecting America’s waterways is critical, but we need common sense policies that will protect water quality without limiting economic growth and unfairly over-regulating local agricultural producers and economies. I am pleased that the Trump Administration has taken action to undo this rule and get the EPA out of the business of micromanaging state and local water decisions.”

Additional Information: In May, Congressman Goodlatte joined House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-Texas) in sending a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions calling for a review of the legal theory underlying the Department of Justice’s decision to prosecute a California suit alleging violations under the Clean Water Act – directly related to both the statutory exemptions for farming and the Obama Administration’s WOTUS rule.