House Republicans passed H.J.Res.27 to block the Biden Administration’s attempt to redefine the “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule submitted by the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
H.J. Res. 27 provides Congressional disapproval of, and nullifies, the rule titled: Revised Definition of “Waters of the United States,” which was submitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on January 18, 2023. The rule specifies which bodies of water fall under the scope of the Clean Water Act, and are thereby under federal jurisdiction. The 2023 rule replaced a 2020 rule that included a narrower definition of “Waters of the United States.”
“Under the previous administration, the disastrous 2015 WOTUS Rule was rightly laid to rest in the interest of farmers, producers, small businesses, and rural communities across the country, said Congressman Scott Fitzgerald. Despite this issue currently being litigated before the Supreme Court in Sackett v. EPA, the Biden Administration is hastily moving forward towards implementation. I’m proud the House has stepped in to terminate this harmful action and hope the Senate will concur.”
“Farmers share the goal of protecting Wisconsin’s waterways. We’ve increased the use of cover crops and installed buffer strips, but we need a rule that doesn’t require hiring experts to tell us if we can farm the land. The uncertainty created by the rule impacts the day-to-day operations of Wisconsin farmers by increasing paperwork and delays from unnecessary permitting, said Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Kevin Krentz. Wisconsin Farm Bureau appreciates the efforts of Congressman Fitzgerald to bring back certainty to Wisconsin farmers and common-sense rules that allow farmers to manage their land without an army of lawyers.”
Categories: Wisconsin, Government & Policy