Press Releases

Washington, D.C. (May 27, 2015) – Today in spite of thousands of public comments raising serious concerns, including from governors and on-the-ground stakeholders throughout the country, the Environmental Protection Agency has finalized the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. This rule marks an unprecedented federal seizure of management and control over waters previously under state jurisdiction.

In response, Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis (WY-at large) issued the following statement:

“It is simply incredible that the Administration has managed to so thoroughly disregard the concerns of governors and stakeholders in what has been a broken public process,” said Chairman Lummis. “This is nothing short of a federal seizure of state waters, to the point where very few, if any, water bodies will be left for the states to manage. Water rights, economic growth, and local conservation efforts will suffer. Instead of working with the local officials and state agencies who know their needs the best, citizens will have to depend on a disconnected federal bureaucracy for management of our most precious natural resource: our water. With bipartisan bills addressing this rule being advanced through both the House and Senate, Congress needs to step up and make sure the EPA does not have final say over this.”

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