Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: James Arnold or Mary Collins Atkinson (202) 224-2353
June 24, 2021
Arkansas Delegation Asks EPA to Keep Navigable Waters Protection Rule
Washington, D.C. — Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas), with Representatives Rick Crawford (R-Arkansas), French Hill (R-Arkansas), Steve Womack (R-Arkansas), and Bruce Westerman (R-Arkansas) sent a letter condemning the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to repeal and replace the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR).
In part, the members wrote, “The NWPR preserves our waterways while giving producers and landowners the clarity they need to farm and build without burdensome regulations and government overreach.”
“Arkansans are good stewards of the land and should make their own decisions about their own property—as they have for generations—without the EPA looking over their shoulders,” the members continued.
Text of the letter may be found here or below.
Dear Administrator Regan and Acting Assistant Secretary Pinkham:
On June 9, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced plans to repeal and replace the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR). The members of the Arkansas congressional delegation adamantly oppose this decision, which will harm businesses, foresters, and farmers across the State of Arkansas. The NWPR preserves our waterways while giving producers and landowners the clarity they need to farm and build without burdensome regulations and government overreach. It is our position that states and localities should regulate waters within their borders—not the federal government.
The Trump administration championed cooperative federalism with regard to the environment, and the current administration should continue this practice going forward. The Obama administration’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule was a vast and vague expansion of federal regulation that placed significant hardships on Arkansans and took authority away from states and localities. Arkansans are good stewards of the land and should make their own decisions about their own property—as they have for generations—without the EPA looking over their shoulders.
Instead of returning to the mistaken policies of the past, we respectfully ask that the EPA and the Corps reconsider their proposal to repeal and replace the current rule, which will have a dire impact on our state.
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