EPA Broke the Law Promoting WOTUS Land Grab Rule

Press Release

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a damning report today - finding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) broke the law in promoting the Obama administration's controversial Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. The EPA's social media campaign engaged in congressional and grassroots lobbying on behalf of their WOTUS rule, a direct violation of the law.

Iowa Congressman David Young has been a vocal critic, "The WOTUS rule is deeply unpopular - it allows the EPA to regulate water on 97 percent of the land in Iowa. No wonder the EPA used illegal practices to garner public support for it. I'm not surprised, but I am disappointed the EPA would stoop to this level to try and manufacture support for this job-killing, federal land grab."

The EPA had, for months, touted the feedback they received during a public comment period on the WOTUS rule. The breaking news from the GAO today proves this data simply cannot be trusted.

GAO auditors specifically identified the agency's use of a "Thunderclap" campaign as "covert propaganda." In other words, without identifying the EPA as the entity behind promotional messages, the campaign pushed their audiences to share messages in support of the rule.

Several pending lawsuits have been filed against the WOTUS rule. In October, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit put the Environmental Protection Agency's WOTUS rule on hold nationwide. In addition, on November 19, Iowa joined the lawsuit pending in the North Dakota District Court against the EPA and the Army Corps.

Currently, a bipartisan coalition in Congress is working to prevent the WOTUS rule from taking effect.

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