Senator Chuck Grassley is glad the Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward with plans to scrap the Waters of the U.S. rule under the Clean Water Act.
In a Tele-conference Wednesday, Grassley stated the very harmful rule looks to be behind us.
?It would have caused a significant and very unnecessary burden for farmers, and also affect business owners,? Senator Grassley said. ?It was bad for jobs and didn?t make much sense. Can you imagine the federal government trying to regulate 97% of the land space of Iowa??
The EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers announced a proposal to repeal the rule, initiated under the Obama Administration, June 27.
?The EPA and Corps also said they would work on new guidelines, in accordance with President Trump?s executive order,? Grassley said. ?Presumably, this means the new definition will make more sense, which provides farmers and small business owners more clarity and certainty.?
The federal government prevented the Waters of the United States from going into effect by implementing a stay in October 2015. In November 2016, Grassley and other members of the Iowa Congressional Delegation wrote to President-elect Trump, asking Trump to scrap WOTUS. President Trump issued an executive order in February, directing federal agencies to brainstorm a better, clearer rule, in genuine consultation with farmers and others affected by the rule. Trump then directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers to consider definitions for WOTUS, following a very clear-cut plurality decision of the Supreme Court.
