WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVDN) – On Friday, January 9, Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.) led all ten Republican members of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee in sending a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) to commend the Agencies’ proposed rule to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS).
“We applaud the proposal to revise the definition of ‘waters of the United States’ (WOTUS) issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps). The Agencies’ proposed rule would establish a clearer definition of jurisdictional waters subject to the Clean Water Act (CWA) that complies with the legal boundaries articulated by the Supreme Court, right-size federal and state jurisdiction over waters consistent with the CWA, and protect our nation’s waters. We appreciate the Agencies’ work during the development and consideration of the proposed rule to create meaningful opportunities for broad public input,” EPW Republican members stated in the letter.
“The Agencies’ proposed rule faithfully adheres to the text of the CWA and the Sackett decision, a critical attribute that will ensure that the rule is legally durable. As the Agencies review public comments, we encourage the EPA and Army Corps to consider these comments and incorporate feedback to further improve the rule. We urge the Agencies to finalize a rule that, like the proposal, provides regulatory certainty, supports cooperative federalism, and follows the statutory text and the Supreme Court’s ruling. We look forward to the publication of the final WOTUS rule in the coming months,” the letter concluded.
To access the full letter, click here.
