Barrasso moves forward with bill to block WOTUS implementation

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) recently announced his Federal Water Quality Protection Act, S. 1140, bill could move one step closer to becoming a law when the Senate votes on a motion to proceed to it this week.

“The Senate has the opportunity now to take up the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, a strong bipartisan bill that will direct the Environmental Protection Agency to write a reasonable rule to protect our navigable waterways,” Barrasso said. “Our beautiful rivers and lakes deserve protection, and this bill does nothing to block legitimate efforts to safeguard the true waters of the United States.”

The bill would force the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers to revise their Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, which was finalized earlier this year. Some federal legislators, states and industry groups have criticized the regulation since its initial drafts for its expansion of EPA jurisdiction and its potential impacts on landowners.

“By striking the right balance, we’ll restore Washington’s attention to the country’s traditional waterways, protecting these cherished natural resources,”  Barrasso said. “At the same time, we’ll give certainty to farmers, ranchers and small-business owners that they can use their property reasonably without fear of constant Washington intervention.”