Manchin Statement on EPA's Final "Waters of the U.S." Rule
Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today issued the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, a measure to define which waterways fall under the jurisdiction of the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers under the Clean Water Act.
“Today, the EPA is once again dangerously overreaching its boundaries by expanding the definition of water sources it can regulate,” Senator Manchin said. “It is completely unreasonable that our country’s ditches, puddles and other un-navigable waters be subjected to the same regulations as our greatest lakes and rivers, and implementing this rule will certainly have a significant impact on West Virginia’s economy, hindering businesses, manufacturing and energy production. The bottom line is that no federal agency should go around Congress to control what has not been legislated, especially when its actions will harm economic growth. I urge my colleagues to take immediate action on the bipartisan Water Quality Protection Act to rein in this harmful rule.”
In April, Senator Manchin introduced the Water Quality Protection Act to ensure that states and local communities are consulted in meaningful ways on regulations before they are formally proposed, especially if the rule will have a significant impact on future investments, capital costs, operations and mandates.
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