WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) questioned the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Don Parrish and Pacific Legal Foundation’s Damien Schiff about the Obama administration’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. 

Schiff is one of the attorneys who recently represented Wyoming’s Andy Johnson in his court case against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

Parrish and Schiff were testifying before today’s Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife hearing. 

On EPA’s WOTUS Social Media Propaganda: 

“Mr. Parrish, the EPA spent an enormous about of time and resources defending their Waters of the U.S. proposal. 

“Most if, not all of those resources were focused on communications outside of the Federal Register and outside the formal rulemaking process. 

“To the point that they used social media to do more than just educate the public, they did what the GAO called ‘covert propaganda.’ 

“So, do you think EPA had an open mind or even fairly evaluated public comments in the rulemaking process? And how do you think this agency’s social media campaign added confusion to the process?

Click here for video of Sen. Barrasso questioning Mr. Parrish about EPA’s WOTUS Propaganda 

On How Senate Democrats Signed WOTUS Letter But Refuse to Vote on Bipartisan WOTUS Rule Reform Bill:

“So following up on that, both Mr. Parrish and Mr. Schiff, you take a look at your written testimonies, it clearly documents that the EPA and Corps have clearly attempted to expand what is a water of the United States despite what the current court stay says about the rule. 

“I think it’s important because as you know, I introduced the legislation you just referred to, it’s bipartisan, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act. It was to repeal the rule and have the EPA go back and draft a new more tailored rule that basically protects families, and farmers and small business owners. 

“Rather than vote for the bill, we had 11 senators who had expressed concerns with the Waters of the U.S. rule. They chose to write this letter rather than vote against the legislation and instead they wrote about their concerns to the EPA and the Corps. 

“The letter stated-‘We call on the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to provide clearer and concise implementation guidance to ensure that the rule is effectively and consistently interpreted. Farmers, ranchers, water utilities, local governments, and contractors deserve this clarity and certainty. Should the EPA not provide this clarity or enforce this rule in a way that erodes traditional exemptions, we reserve the right to support efforts in the future to revise the rule.’

“So in your opinions, to both of you, has the Corps and the EPA been eroding traditional exemptions since this rule has been issued and how clear and consistent has the Corps and the EPA been in their decision making since the rule has been issued?”

Click here for video of Sen. Barrasso questioning Mr. Parrish, Mr. Schiff about Senate Democrats’ WOTUS letter. 

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