Roberts’ Bill Would Halt EPA Takeover of Water

Led by Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), a group of 30 senators has introduced legislation to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from taking over all private and state water in the United States. The Protecting Water and Property Rights Act of 2014 prevents the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers from finalizing a proposed rule which would significantly expand federal authority under the Clean Water Act.

“After already calling on the EPA and Army Corps to withdraw the proposed rule, I want to make sure that the expansion of regulatory jurisdiction over ‘Waters of the United States’ is shelved for good,” said Roberts in a news release. The legislation prohibits the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the secretary of the Army from finalizing the rule or trying a similar regulation in the future.

Farm Bureau supports the legislation.