WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) issued the following statement today after the Senate passed a resolution of disapproval to nullify the Waters of the United States rule, commonly known as WOTUS. The resolution passed on a 53-44 vote.
“West Virginia’s farmers, small businesses, energy producers and agriculture community have shared their concerns with me about the burdens and uncertainty this regulation would impose. Protecting our drinking water sources and precious natural resources is a goal we all support, but the WOTUS rule would lead to a massive expansion of costly permitting requirements, hampering farmers and rural communities and subjecting small puddles and ditches to the same regulations as large lakes and rivers. These are costs West Virginia’s already struggling economy cannot afford.”
On October 9, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued a ruling blocking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from implementing the WOTUS rule nationwide.
Senator Capito has supported several measures to rein in the flawed WOTUS rule. In April, Senator Capito helped introduce the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, an alternative approach to the WOTUS rule that would protect traditional navigable water from pollution while also protecting farmers, energy producers, small businesses and manufacturers. Senator Capito was an original cosponsor of the joint resolution that passed the Senate today.
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