Daines Votes to Overturn Biden's Burdensome Regulation for MT Farmers, Ranchers, Landowners

Press Release

U.S. Senator Steve Daines today voted to block President Biden's burdensome Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulation through a Congressional Review Act (CRA) to revoke the new rule.

"Today's passage of my challenge to President Biden's ridiculous Waters of the United States regulation is a victory for Montana's farmers and ranchers. The President and his army of unelected Washington bureaucrats are on a mission to overregulate Montana farmers and ranchers. On his first day in office, President Biden signed the WOTUS executive order that expands regulatory authority over Montana waters. WOTUS infringes on the rights of Montana farmers, ranchers and landowners and creates confusion and burdensome red tape; Montanans shouldn't have to answer to the federal government over minor issues like the ditches on their property. I will continue fighting back on behalf of Montanans against President Biden's out of control regulatory agenda," Daines said.

Senator Daines joined all 48 of his Senate Republican colleagues in introducing a formal challenge to the Biden administration's Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule through a Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval in February 2023.

BACKGROUND ON WOTUS, NWPR:

The resolution comes after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced a new rule in December 2022 repealing the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR), and changing the definition of Waters of the United States in a way that will expand federal regulatory authority.In 2015, the Obama administration finalized a rule that expanded the definition of WOTUS, creating confusion and burdensome red tape, especially for Montana's agriculture, construction, and mining industries.

In 2019, the Trump Administration repealed the Obama rule, and in 2020, replaced it with the common-sense NWPR. The NWPR established a clear, reasonable, and easily administrable definition of "Waters of the United States' that provided much-needed predictability and certainty for farmers and private property owners.

On day one of his administration, President Biden signed an executive order to begin the process of rolling back the Trump administration's NWPR.

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