Rep. Graves reacts to proposed rule to define the Waters of the United States

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KQTV) -- Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06), chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, commended the Trump Administration for a new proposed rule providing clarity to numerous Americans.

The administration proposed a rule to define the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act (CWA), aimed at providing clarity to farmers, businesses, infrastructure builders and communities across the nation.

The rule, developed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Army Corps of Engineers, aligns with the Supreme Court’s 2023 Sackett decision, which appropriately recognized that there are reasonable limits to the federal government’s regulatory authority under the CWA. 

According to the EPA's website, "The proposed rule will play a key role in EPA’s Powering the Great American Comeback initiative by protecting water resources, strengthening cooperative federalism, and supporting American industry, energy producers, the technology sector, farmers, ranchers, developers, businesses, and landowners."

The announcement follows previous efforts by the Biden Administration to expand federal regulatory power under the law, and it provides much-needed durability to defining what waters are and are not subject to federal regulation under the CWA, according to a press release from Graves' office.

"Farmers, infrastructure builders, small businesses, manufacturers, home builders, local communities, and property owners will be able to function under a more reasonable regulatory environment without having to worry about the federal government constantly breathing down their necks," said Graves. "We can and will continue to ensure water quality throughout our nation under the Clean Water Act, but this proposed rule also protects the rights of states, individuals, and businesses to produce our food and goods, build infrastructure projects, and grow the economy.”