WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement after the announcement today of final regulations by the Obama administration, which would expand federal government control over states’ water resources:

“This rule is an attack on the people of Nebraska. Through this unprecedented overreach, the federal government will now extend their control over our state’s water resources and burden our families with costly permit requirements. Make no mistake – this is a blatant attempt to expand the federal government’s control. This rule will have far-reaching consequences and hurt Nebraska families, communities, and businesses.

“Nebraskans are good stewards of our natural resources and protect our water at the state and local level. The Obama administration’s new regulation implies that Washington bureaucrats know better than the people of our state. This rule is reckless and unwarranted, and I will work tirelessly to stop this expansion of federal control.”

In April, Senator Fischer joined a bipartisan group of her colleagues to introduce a new bill that would prevent this joint rule from the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA, originally known as the “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) and now renamed by the administration as the “Clean Water Rule,” from taking effect. The legislation, S. 1140 – The Federal Water Quality Protection Act, would direct the administration to issue a revised proposal that would set clear limits on federal regulation of water, require consultation with states and impacted stakeholders, and ensure that a thorough economic analysis is conducted.

Senator Fischer has led a number of efforts in the Senate to enhance public input on the rule, including a March field hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee she chaired in Lincoln. She has repeatedly urged EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to scrap the rule altogether, and has also cosponsored legislation to withdraw the proposed regulation.

Click here to view the text of

S. 1140 – The Federal Water Quality Protection Act. 

Click here to read Senator Fischer’s op-ed on the WOTUS rule in the Grand Island Independent.

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