For Immediate Release
Andrew Wimer, 202-314-2073 or 703-298-5938 (cell)
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Key Vote Alert on Bill to Keep EPA and Army Corps from Expanding Reach of
Waters Regulation
Washington, DC (April
30, 2015) – Today, the National
Federation of Independent Business sent a letter to all members of the
House of Representatives supporting H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity
Protection Act. A possible House vote on the bill will be considered a key vote
by the NFIB. The legislation would send an
Environmental Protection Agency-Army Corps of Engineers’ expansion of the
Clean Water Act back to the agencies for further review.
“There is no reason
why every puddle or place where water might collect should be under the
authority of the federal government,” said NFIB Vice President of
Public Policy Amanda Austin. “When Congress passed the Clean Water Act
decades ago, it was meant to oversee navigable waterways. Now the EPA and Army
Corps want to require expensive permits and studies even for work that only
affects streambeds that are dry most of the year.”
H.R. 1732 would
require the agencies to withdraw the proposed rule, which is currently waiting
for final approval at the White House. Before moving forward with another rule,
the agencies would be required to work with small businesses, states and municipalities
and conduct economic analysis showing the effects of a new rule. The EPA did
not conduct small business analysis required by law, claiming that there would
be no effect despite the significant expansion of authority.
The NFIB also
supports language contained in the House Energy and Water Appropriations Act
that stops funding for implementation of the new rule. A copy of today’s letter
is available here.
More on how the waters rule could affect small businesses is available here.
For more information
about NFIB please visit www.nfib.com.
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