President Trump Delivers "Hugely" on Promise to Protect Water Rights for Farmers, Ranchers: Abolishes Despised Obama-Era Mandate

News Staff : Jan 27, 2020
EPA.gov

"President Trump is restoring the rule of law and empowering Americans by removing undue burdens and strangling regulations from the backs of our productive farmers, ranchers, and rural land-owners. The days are gone when the Federal Government can claim a small farm pond on private land as navigable waters. I thank President Trump and Administrator Wheeler for having the backs of our farmers, ranchers, and producers and for continuing to roll back Federal overreach. With reforms and deregulation, Americans once again have the freedom to innovate, create, and grow." -- U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue

(Las Vegas, NV) — [EPA.gov] Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R.D. James unveiled a new, clear definition for "waters of the United States." We are delivering on President Trump's promise to finalize a revised definition for "waters of the United States" that protects the nation's navigable waters from pollution and will result in economic growth across the country. Here's what elected officials and stakeholders are saying... (Photo Credit: PEXELS)

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue: "President Trump is restoring the rule of law and empowering Americans by removing undue burdens and strangling regulations from the backs of our productive farmers, ranchers, and rural land-owners. The days are gone when the Federal Government can claim a small farm pond on private land as navigable waters. I thank President Trump and Administrator Wheeler for having the backs of our farmers, ranchers, and producers and for continuing to roll back Federal overreach. With reforms and deregulation, Americans once again have the freedom to innovate, create, and grow."

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY): "I applaud President Donald Trump, Administrator Wheeler, and Assistant Secretary James for standing up for middle class families in Kentucky. Replacing the Obama EPA's WOTUS rule with one that protects our waters while also being more workable is a win for farmers and small businesses."

U.S. Senator John Barrasso, Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (WY): "President Trump is delivering on his promise to give Americans clean water and clear rules. Regulations must follow the law and be easy for Americans to understand. The Trump administration respects the authority Congress gave EPA under the Clean Water Act. The old WOTUS rule put Washington in control of ponds, puddles, and prairie potholes. The punishing regulation was so confusing that property owners and businesses could not determine when permits were needed. Even worse, it inserted Washington into local decision making. This overreach put unfair restrictions on how farmers, ranchers, and landowners could use their property. I will continue to work closely with the Trump administration as it seeks commonsense ways to keep America's water clean and safe."

U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (KS): "The original ‘WOTUS' rule was nothing but a severe regulatory over reach. The growing threat farmers were facing from the previous administration's regulatory warpath would have only added costs to their businesses and stymied their ability to compete. I'm thankful this administration's rule is a much more reasonable approach to regulation."

U.S. Senator James Inhofe (OK): "The EPA's release of this finalized WOTUS replacement rule is welcome news. Today, we can finally put the Obama-era WOTUS rule behind us and put the power back where it belongs, in the hands of the states. Rural states, like Oklahoma, have been severely harmed by the regulatory overreach of the Obama-era WOTUS rule. The agricultural community in Oklahoma was one of the hardest hit—which is why it was one of their top legislative priorities for so long. I'm proud that the threat of the federal government's land grab is now officially dead.

 "Today's action is yet more proof that the Trump Administration keeps promises, and America is winning because of it. I am proud to have worked with President Trump and EPA Administrator Wheeler to repeal the old rule and I look forward to continue our work of cutting red tape and harmful regulations."

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (IA): "President Trump deserves credit for following through on his promise to repeal this Obama-era rule that would have defined 97 percent of Iowa as a waterway. Giving the federal government the power to regulate nearly all of Iowa would have been an economic catastrophe. My neighbors who farm in Butler County shouldn't have to get permission from bureaucrats in Washington to move soil on their own land. This was just another example of out-of-touch and ill-conceived government overreach. This new rule will help keep our water and land clean without destroying Iowa's small businesses and family farming operations."

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (IA): "For years, Iowans have told me what an egregious overreach Obama's WOTUS rule was, giving the federal government authority to regulate 97 percent of the land in Iowa. That's absurd, and it's why I've worked hard to get rid of it. After working relentlessly alongside the Trump Administration, I'm proud that we've successfully scrapped this Obama-era rule and are now providing the predictability and certainty our hardworking farmers, manufacturers, and landowners in Iowa deserve. Under President Trump's leadership, we've fought to get the government off the backs of farmers and business owners and have had major wins on trade – like the USMCA, the phase one China deal, and the Japan agreement – all of which are spurring a sense of optimism and economic growth across rural America."

U.S. Senator Jim Risch (ID): "After years of overreach and uncertainty, Idaho's farmers, ranchers, and landowners will finally have a rule that doesn't confuse truly navigable waters with ditches and puddles. I applaud President Trump's work to roll back this egregious overstep by the Obama administration and empower states to manage and protect their natural resources."

U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (ID): "Today's announcement by the EPA will rebalance the relationship between the federal government and state and local on-the-ground experts for effective and environmentally-sound water quality management policies. President Trump's Administration has taken decisive action on limiting federal overreach, and has brought regulatory certainty to Idaho farmers, ranchers and businesses who have been impacted by the old WOTUS definition."

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (MO): "I'm glad the Trump administration has listened to rural America and taken the necessary steps to undo and replace the misguided Waters of the U.S. rule. The Obama-era WOTUS rule would have given the EPA jurisdiction over 99% of Missouri. I, over and over again, took the Farm Bureau map to the [Senate] floor, that was all in one color. And that was the color where the federal government would have jurisdiction over everything from puddles to ditches to ponds, from sidewalks to building permits.

"I've heard from countless farmers, ranchers, small businesses owners, and elected officials who just simply said WOTUS would have not only driven up the costs but made it impossible for them to do their jobs. Getting rid of this rule is an important part of the broader effort we've been working on in the Senate to roll back regulations that would cost a lot, but have little or no positive impact.

"This is an important victory for Missouri. I'm going to continue to work with the administration to make sure our economy has room to grow without the burden of costly, unnecessary red tape. When we need to have a rule, we need to have a rule that makes sense. But it has to make sense first and foremost."

U.S. Senator John Hoeven (ND): "The Obama-era WOTUS rule was duplicative of state and local efforts, violated private property rights and would've imposed significant costs on a wide range of industries, like agriculture, energy production and construction. That's why we worked to prevent the 2015 rule's implementation and supported the administration's efforts to repeal it. We appreciate their continued efforts to provide certainty under the new NWPR rule, which seeks to cover only traditional navigable waters and encourage collaboration with states, tribes and localities, rather than override their authority. We will continue working to ensure the new rule achieves these important goals."

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (ND): "Today's announcement is excellent news. President Trump's Administration values sound water policy and, more importantly, staying within the confines of the law. The 2015 Rule was egregious, and it's good to see it being replaced with a new rule that is legal and will work for our farmers, businesses, and local governments. I'm grateful for the role North Dakotans played in leading on this issue, and I look forward to ensuring this rule is properly implemented."

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