Jones Applauds Withdrawal of WOTUS Rule | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Release:

    WASHINGTON, DC     Today, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) commended the Trump administration's withdrawal of the Water of the United States (WOTUS) rule, and released the following statement:

    "The WOTUS rule is a prime example of regulatory overreach by the Obama administration," said Congressman Jones. "It was a blatant attempt to stretch the law far beyond where Congress ever intended it to go. If left untouched, it would have unnecessarily inflicted tremendous economic pain on Eastern North Carolina small businesses, farmers, and families. I am committed to clean water, but we have to use common sense."

    Under the Obama administration, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spent years trying to expand the definition of "waters of the United States" in order to give them regulatory control over even the smallest bodies of water on private land. This effort culminated in the release of the 2015 WOTUS rule. Many businesses, farm groups, and states, including North Carolina, filed lawsuits against the rule. In late 2015, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals granted a nationwide stay against the rule after determining there was a good chance that groups challenging the rule would prevail. The Supreme Court is also reviewing the rule.

    Congressman Jones has been a consistent critic of the WOTUS rule. He voted for multiple bills to block, overturn, and rescind the rule. In February, Congressman Jones and his congressional colleagues wrote to President Trump about their concerns with the WOTUS rule.

    For additional information, please contact Allison Tucker in Congressman Jones' office at (202) 225-3415 or allison.tucker@mail.house.gov.