On the recordMay 12, 2015
The EPA has, once again, lost all common sense as it has decided unilaterally to redefine Waters of the U.S. Under its proposed rule change, Waters of the U.S. would now be defined to include smaller bodies of water and even some dry land. This new definition would extend the EPA's regulatory reach to seemingly any body of water, including that water puddled in your ditch after a rainstorm. You heard me right. Let me put it another way for an even better understanding. This rule is so broad that it could very well require you to get permission from a Federal bureaucrat before acting on your property. Small-business owners, farmers, Realtors, and homebuilders all agree that this bill is bad for business in southeastern North Carolina. For those reasons, I am a cosponsor of this bill, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act, which requires the EPA to scrap its current proposal and start anew by engaging stakeholders who are actually affected by this rule. Mr. Chairman, common sense has had its share of setbacks in this country. Let's not let this rule be another one. I encourage my colleagues to vote for this bill, and I thank the chairman for his fine leadership.
