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Miss. Senator Praises Trump Administration Decision to Overturn Obama-era Regulation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today praised the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to formally begin the process of overturning the Obama-era regulation of water sources, including ponds and ditches.
On Tuesday, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced that the agency has begun the process to formally rescind the Waters of the United States or “WOTUS,” a rule that would have expanded EPA enforcement authority to streams, irrigation ditches, and other small bodies of water around the country.
“The Waters of the United States rule was a regulatory overreach that placed undue burdens on property owners across the country. The regulation posed far-reaching implications for Mississippi with its extensive river and stream system,” Cochran said. “It is good that the Trump Administration is taking concrete steps to overturn this misguided regulation.”
As part of today’s announcement, Pruitt indicated that the EPA will no longer use an expanded interpretation of the Clean Water Act of 1972 to gain federal regulatory control over an unprecedented amount of privately-held land.
Mississippi has 10 major river basins and 86,000 miles of streams. The WOTUS rule posed significant challenges to business and agriculture operations in the state.
The EPA announcement follows President Trumps signing of an executive order in February to review and rescind the WOTUS rule.
