Denham Votes to Protect Water Rights and Prevent Overregulation of Waterways
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The bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw their currently proposed “Waters of the U.S.” rule and take into consideration the thousands of comments they’ve received, economic analysis and studies pertaining to the proposed rule. After analyzing each of these factors, the legislation requires the agencies to reach out to all parties who will be potentially affected by the rule, as well as reach a consensus with the states and local governments on a new rule they will craft.
“California is already struggling under new water regulations during this state of emergency,” said Rep. Denham. “Our farmers and ranchers in the Central Valley are in desperate need of water – we can’t afford to have federal agencies proposing even more complex rules while we are currently working to dramatically cut down our water usage as a state.”
By partnering with state and local governments and bringing other stakeholders to the conversation, the EPA and the Corps have a chance to produce a clear definition of what the term “Waters of the United States” means under the Clean Water Act and provide specific guidelines for the agencies’ scope of jurisdiction. The rule as it stands allows government agencies the chance to get in between farmers, ranchers and their land to regulate miniscule bodies of water like ponds and ditches.
Rep. Denham has repeatedly voted for similar proposals prohibiting and reigning in the proposed rule, including the House-passed Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act, H.R. 5078, last Congress.
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