Crapo Statement on Obama Administration Finalizing â??Waters of the U.S.â?? Rule

Washington, D.C. - The US. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers have announced their intent to move forward with the controversial "Waters of the United States" Rule--greatly increasing the regulatory power of the federal government under the Clean Water Act.  Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee (EPW), is urging Congress to act immediately on bipartisan legislation and issued the following statement:  

"In the face of unprecedented opposition from small businesses, agriculture groups, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and ordinary citizens, the Administration is still moving forward in finalizing the EPA efforts to wrongly assert jurisdiction over nearly all waters of the United States," said Crapo.  "The Administration's water grab is not only harmful to our economy and inconsistent with the original intent of the Clean Water Act, it subverts state water sovereignty and will jeopardize private property rights.  Congress must act immediately on S. 1140, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, a bipartisan effort in the Senate that would rein in EPA's misguided attempt to exceed the bounds of its statutory power."