New WOTUS Rule – More Automatically Regulated “Tributaries”

Ephemeral tributaries (red lines) deemed jurisdictional without further analysis. 
Ditches also regulated if “excavated in” or “relocated” a tributary. 
Note: This map does not show jurisdictional ditches and may not include all ephemeral tributaries.State-Wide "Waters of the US" Zones

Senator Blunt Continues Work to Protect Missourians from EPA's Unprecedented Water Grab

WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) this week co-sponsored a joint resolution with 46 Senate colleagues disapproving the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency that expands the scope of federal authority over land and waterways in the United States, commonly referred to as the Waters of the United States rule.

“The EPA has no businesses regulating ponds and puddles in Missouri or across our country,” said Blunt. “The harmful Waters of the U.S. rule is yet another example of this Administration’s blatant executive overreach into hardworking Missourians’ private property. This rule creates more red tape, causes uncertainty, and threatens the livelihood of farm families and homebuilders. It hurts construction, transportation, and energy development in our state and around the country. I’ll keep fighting to protect Missouri’s communities from this damaging power grab.”

The resolution reads that, “Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “Clean Water Rule: Definition of ‘Waters of the United States,’” and such a rule shall have no force or effect.”

Blunt has a long record of fighting the Obama Administration’s proposed WOTUS rule. In June 2014, Blunt joined U.S. Senator John Barrasso (Wyo.) and their colleagues to introduce the Protecting Water and Property Rights Act of 2014, legislation that would prevent the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers from finalizing their March 2014 proposed rule. In March 2015, Blunt also co-sponsored an amendment that was added to the FY2016 Senate budget to stop the Obama Administration from taking over all waters in the U.S.

On April 30, 2015, Blunt and his colleagues introduced the Federal Water Quality Protection Act. The bipartisan legislation will ensure the protection of traditional navigable waters of the United States. It also protects farmers, ranchers and private landowners by removing isolated ponds, agriculture water, storm water, groundwater, floodwater, municipal water supply systems, wastewater management systems, and streams from the list of water impacted by the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule.

According to an analysis (http://www.fb.org/issues/wotus/resources/) by the American Farm Bureau, an expanded definition of the WOTUS rule would expand EPA and Army Corps of Engineers authority over approximately 99.7 percent of Missouri, as indicated in orange on the map below:

The Caldwell County News

101 South Davis
P.O. Box 218
Hamilton, MO 64644
Phone: 816-583-2116
news@mycaldwellcounty.com

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