WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife hearing on Barrasso’s bipartisan Federal Water Quality Protection Act (S. 1140).
Barrasso’s bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers to issue a revised “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule that protects traditional navigable water from water pollution, while also protecting farmers, ranchers and private landowners. For more information on the bill, click here.
Excerpts of Senator Barrasso’s remarks:
“Thank you Mr. Chairman. I would like to tell you how much I appreciate you holding this hearing today as you said, on a bipartisan, environmental protection piece of legislation.
“S. 1140, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, is legislation I introduced along with Senators Donnelly, Heitkamp, Manchin, along with other members of this committee, including you Mr. Chairman that will protect our nation’s navigable waterways and our pristine wetlands.
“This bill is a testament to the hard work that both sides of the aisle have done in achieving an agreement on a comprehensive environmental protection bill.
“I would like to thank Chairman Inhofe, and other cosponsors, for showing that environmental legislation to protect our air, land and water can be introduced in this committee in a bipartisan way.
“I think it bodes well for the future and I look forward to continuing to work with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle who want to get work done for the American people.
“With regard to this legislation, it’s the subject of today’s hearing, I would just like to say that our rivers, lakes, wetlands and other waterways are among America’s most treasured resources.
“In my home state of Wyoming we have some of the most beautiful rivers in the world – this is the Snake River, we have the Wind River, we have dozens of others.
“People of Wyoming are devoted to keeping these waterways safe and pristine for our children and grandchildren.
“We understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to do it.
“It’s possible to have reasonable regulations to help preserve our waterways, while still allowing them to be used as natural resources.
“Rather than wait for a rule that likely will not represent the interests of farmers, ranchers, families, communities, let’s move forward with bipartisan Federal Water Quality Protection Act to assure the public that we hear and we understand their concerns.
“Thank you Mr. Chairman, I look forward to the testimony.”
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