U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today successfully worked to stop President Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) overreaching Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule that seeks regulate virtually every ditch and pond that may be occasionally wet across the United States.
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, of which Daines is a member, approved a bill that would prohibit the WOTUS rule. This bill is set to be taken up by the full Senate Committee on Appropriations on Thursday.
“The WOTUS rule is a clear effort by the Obama administration to gain control over Montanans’ livelihoods and private property rights and I’m proud to be leading the effort to stop this egregious overreach,” Daines stated.
Daines has been an outspoken critic of President Obama’s WOTUS power grab. Daines is also cosponsor of S. 1140, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, that would direct the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to issue a revised WOTUS rule that protects traditional navigable water from water pollution, while also protecting farmers, ranchers and private landowners. Senate Democrats blocked this legislation from advancing on November 3, 2015.
Daines’ efforts to stop the EPA’s greatly expanded powers through new WOTUS regulations were applauded across Montana, including by the Montana Chamber of Commerce, Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Grain Growers Association, Montana Farm Bureau, Montana Wool Growers Association, Montana Mining Association, Montana Petroleum Association and the Montana Building Industry.
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