Congressman Glenn Thompson (PA-5) chairs the
Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation & Forestry. It held a hearing on the EPA’s recent changes
to the Clean Water Act which enabled that agency to take control over massive
amounts of land, way beyond the streams, lakes and rivers it previously regulated.
The EPA, circumvented Congress by expanding the
definition of “navigable waters” under the Clean Water Act to not only include
rivers, streams and lakes, but also areas around them including dry areas that
may be wet just one month per year. He says it’s a huge infringement on
property rights and the state government can continue to regulate those areas
without EPA involvement.
So what does all this mean to farm businesses,
construction companies and building contractors? It means huge fees for EPA
permits to dig or change the land and a long wait to get that permit. It means violations could result in fines up
to $37,500 a day! NFIB has filed suit against the EPA for it’s egregious actions. Visit NFIB.com/Waters
