WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines, along with 46 Senate cosponsors, today introduced a joint resolution disapproving the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) greatly expanded Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, which directly threatens Montana agriculture and energy production, Montanans’ property rights and Montana jobs.
The resolution would nullify the EPA’s WOTUS rule, which greatly expands the scope of federal authority over land and waterways in the United States under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
“The EPA’s latest power grab is a direct threat to Montanans’ livelihoods and must be stopped,” Daines stated. “This ill-conceived rule provides the EPA unprecedented power to regulate virtually any spot across Montana that is occasionally wet, which could have a devastating impact on Montana jobs, our natural resources and agriculture industries and Montana property rights. I’ll continue fighting to stop the Obama administration’s extreme, anti-jobs agenda and ensure Montanans’ voices are heard in the management of our state’s resources.”
The full resolution is available here.
Original cosponsors to the resolution include Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Lamar Alexander, (R-TN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Richard Burr (R-NC), Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), Dan Coats (R-IN), Thad Cochran (R-MS), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Dean Heller (R-NV), John Hoeven (R-ND), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Ron Johnson (R-WI), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), John McCain (R-AZ), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Rand Paul (R-KY), David Perdue (R-GA), Jim Risch (R-ID), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Tim Scott (R-SC), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Richard Shelby (R-AL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Pat Toomey (R-PA), David Vitter (R-LA), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).
Daines is also a cosponsor of S. 1140, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act that would direct the EPA and Corps to issue a revised WOTUS rule that protects traditional navigable water from water pollution, while also protecting farmers, ranchers and private landowners.
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