Ernst Joins Entire Republican Conference in Fight to Stop Resurrection of WOTUS Overreach

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of both the Senate Agriculture and Environment and Public Works Committees, joined the entire Senate Republican Conference in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to suspend the pending rulemaking to redefine the scope of waters protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA), specifically “waters of the United States” (WOTUS), until the U.S. Supreme Court completes its consideration of Sackett v. EPA, a case that is expected to have major implications on CWA scope and enforcement.

 

“The federal government should not promulgate rules for the sake of political expediency, but rather provide regulatory certainty for stakeholders within the bounds of an agency’s respective statutory authority,” the senators wrote. “Proceeding with the rulemaking at this time, despite the pending litigation and potentially influential ruling, will only deepen uncertainty within the regulated community.”

 

“We are foremost troubled to see that the proposed rule exceeds the regulatory authority granted to EPA and USACE by the Clean Water Act,” the senators continued. “The proposed rule seeks to federalize waters in a land grab that arguably surpasses its 2015 predecessor, improperly encompassing water features traditionally within the sole purview of states, while reverting from the comparative straightforward application of the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule … and interjecting new uncertainties for nearly every private sector stakeholder.”

 

“Farmers are frustrated with the back and forth on water regulations,” said Zippy Duvall, president of  the American Farm Bureau Federation. “We finally had clarity with the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, but the definition of ‘Waters of the U.S.’ now faces more uncertainty. Farmers are deliberate in how they use resources and continued indecision makes it difficult to plan and grow the food America’s families rely on. We urge the Biden administration to pause its plan to write a new WOTUS rule until the Supreme Court provides more guidance on which waters fall under federal jurisdiction.”

 

“For years, cattle producers have faced ever shifting WOTUS definitions, leaving farmers and ranchers wondering if a water feature on their property might suddenly fall under federal jurisdiction,” said Scott Yager, chief environmental counsel at National Cattleman’s Beef Association. “With the Supreme Court set to hear a case on WOTUS, cattle producers stand united in urging the Biden administration to suspend further WOTUS rulemaking until the outcome of the case is clear. NCBA thanks Senator Thune for encouraging the EPA to pause their rulemaking and avoid even more confusing regulations on producers.”

 

Background:

Last year, Ernst led a Senate resolution that expresses the need for the U.S. Senate to stand with farmers, ranchers, and other important stakeholders by supporting the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection rule, which replaced the Obama-era WOTUS rule.

 

In June, following a report that the Biden administration is looking to roll back the previous administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule, Ernst called the decision a “gut punch” to Iowans while reaffirming her commitment to stand up to onerous regulations the administration may seek to impose on hardworking Iowans.

 

Ernst and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.) in introducing the Define WOTUS Act, a bill to legislatively define WOTUS and make a reasonable, workable definition of the term permanent.