WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of Environment and Public Works Committee, joined a Senate resolution that expresses the need for the U.S. Senate to stand with workers, farmers, manufacturers, and businesses by upholding the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection rule, which replaced the Obama-era Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. 

“The Navigable Waters Protection Rule is sound environmental policy that’s already in effect in 49 states. Replacing it with something like the 2015 WOTUS Rule, which was blocked by the courts from going into effect in more than half the 50 states, would completely reframe all water policy and devastate farmers, manufacturers, and small business owners,” Senator Capito said.

Senator Capito joined 25 of her colleagues in this resolution, including Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), James Risch (R-Idaho), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.).

BACKGROUND:

In 2015, the Obama administration finalized a rule that expanded the definition of the Waters of the United States, creating confusion and burdensome red tape for West Virginia’s agriculture and coal industries.  

The Trump administration released a proposed rule to replace the Obama administration’s 2015 WOTUS rule with a new rule that provided much-needed predictability and certainty for farmers by establishing clear and reasonable definitions of what qualifies as a “water of the United States.” The new Navigable Waters Protection Rule was finalized last year. 

Now, on day one of his administration, President Biden signed an executive order that would roll back the Trump administration’s executive order which began the process of rescinding Obama’s WOTUS rule.

 

# # #