Press Releases
Congressman Jason Smith: House E&W Appropriations Bill Strips “Waters of the U.S.” FundingSmith included language in Energy and Water funding bill to prohibit federal dollars from enforcing EPA proposalToday, Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO) announced that his provision to prohibit any federal funds from being used by the Corps of Engineers to enforce the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed “Waters of the United States” rule was included in the legislation that passed the House. The proposed new regulations would potentially allow the EPA to regulate nearly every area of the ground that gets wet or has flow during rainfall. The rule is too broad and could be interpreted to expand the EPA’s reach to cover all ponds, puddles, temporary or small wetlands, irrigation ditches or similar collections of water. Smith has called the proposal an overreach of federal authority that would have a harmful impact on rural America. “The ‘Waters of the United States’ proposal would give Washington bureaucrats the power to regulate nearly every area of the ground that gets wet or has water flow during rainfall. The House of Representatives passed the appropriations bill with my provision to prevent the rule from being enforced. Now the fight will continue in the Unites States Senate. Our Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power of the purse strings. If the EPA continues its war on rural America, I will keep using every possible avenue to protect rural Missouri,” said Smith. Smith explained how the “Water of the United States” proposal would have a negative impact on Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District. “The driving force of our economy in South-Central and Southeast Missouri is agriculture. We grow every major crop in our district other than sugar and citrus fruits. Our farmers and ranchers raise nearly every kind of livestock including beef and dairy cattle, pigs, chickens and even specialty livestock like bison. The ‘Waters of the United States’ proposal would force farmers who use fertilizers and pesticides to jump through needless and costly regulatory hoops. Livestock farmers could be forced to put a buffer zone between their animals and any body of water,” said Smith. Smith’s provision is included in sec. 106 (p. 10 lines 20-25, p. 11 lines 1-6) in the second attachment of the FY 2015 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill. Click HERE to see Smith’s request to strip funding of the “Water of the United States” ### |