Ernst Joins EPA Administrator Zeldin to Announce WOTUS Revision

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, joined Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to announce a revision to the definition of the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) that adheres to the law, cuts red tape, and provides certainty for Iowa farmers, small businesses, and landowners.

During her first year in the Senate, Senator Ernst led an effort against the harmful WOTUS rule to protect Iowans from overreaching, burdensome regulations. Her effort was passed by both the Senate and the House, but President Obama vetoed it.

Watch Senator Ernst’s remarks here at the EPA Headquarters. 

Download photos from the press conference here.

“For far too long, we have seen this grip of federal government really impacting daily Iowans’ lives…They've threatened our communities, threatened our livelihoods. I am really grateful that President Trump is righting this wrong and bringing more common sense back into the regulatory environment, especially surrounding our waters of the United States,” said Ernst.

Background:

During Trump’s first term, Ernst commended his administration for successfully rolling back the harmful Obama-era WOTUS rule to help spur economic growth and called on Congress to codify a reasonable definition of WOTUS into law. 

After Biden doubled down on Obama’s government overreach, Ernst supported a bipartisan effort and worked in 2023 to stop Biden’s out-of-touch WOTUS rule that aimed to repeal the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) and applauded the Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. EPA. Unfortunately, President Biden’s subsequent amended rule did not adhere to the court’s decision, necessitating President Trump and Administrator Zeldin’s action today to settle this issue once and for all.  

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