HOME | REGULATIONSenators: Obama misleading country on EPA’s water rule By Benjamin Goad - 10/23/14 05:30 PM EDT A group of 25 Republican senators accused the Obama administration Thursday of misleading Americans about the scope of the Environmental Protection Agency’s forthcoming Waters of the United States rule. The EPA, which promptly pushed back against the assertions, says its so-called “WOTUS” rule will merely clarify the agency’s regulation over streams and smaller bodies of water, granted by the Clean Water Act. But the lawmakers, led by Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and David Vitter (R-La.), say the administration is intentionally concealing the breadth of the regulation. They say the rule would give the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers almost unlimited power over state and local waters, including those that are isolated from navigable waters controlled by the statute. “Undoubtedly, there is a disconnect between regulatory reality and the Administration’s utopian view of the proposed ‘waters of the United States’ rule,” the lawmakers wrote. “For the record, we note here the ways in which the Administration has manipulated this rulemaking in ways that appear to be designed to prejudge the outcome.” In particular, the senators take issue with the administration’s position that the rule responds to previous requests for a Clean Water Act rulemaking and accuse officials of “insinuating that opposition to the proposed rule is equivalent to opposition to clean water.” Further, they charge that the EPA has sought to “delegitimize” concerns about the proposed rule, while misrepresenting the likely impacts of the rule. In response to the accusations, EPA spokeswoman Liz Purchia said Thursday that the proposal is meant to ensure that all streams and wetlands are protected equally from pollution. She said the agency has gone to lengths to hear from all concerned parties — even extending the public comment period for the rule — and stressed that it would have no effect on normal farming practices. “Our proposal will ensure that the thousands of businesses across the country, ranging from hunting and fishing to the high tech sector, continue to have access to clean water that they depend on,” she said. “When we protect waterways, we free up businesses and communities to invest their dollars on other resources rather than cleaning up polluted waterways. HOME | REGULATION EPA review board finds strong scientific support for water rule 20261 By Tim Devaney - 10/23/14 11:11 AM EDT The Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) water rule passed a crucial test Thursday, gaining the approval of the agencys internal review board. The EPAs Science Advisory Board noted in a peer review of the rule that there is strong scientific support for the agencys proposed Waters of the U.S. regulation. The panel reviewed the EPAs draft report on the connectivity of waterways around the country. Relatively low levels of connectivity can be meaningful in terms of impacts on the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of downstream waters, the advisory board wrote. The EPA is proposing to expand its jurisdiction to include small rivers and streams that flow into larger sources of water. Environmental groups say the rule is needed to protect the nations water sources from contamination, but business groups say it would be unduly expensive to comply with, particularly for farmers. The EPA proposed the rule in April. The advisory board said it is grounded in current science, but offered several recommendations to clarify the rule and improve transparency. The report should also clearly indicate that the definitions used for rivers, streams, and wetlands are scientific, rather than legal or regulatory definitions, the board wrote. The public has until Nov. 14 to comment on the proposed rule. Senators: Obama misleading country on EPA’s water rule The EPA is pushing back against the accusation. THEHILL.COM|BY BEN GOAD
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 17:15:39 +0000
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