Latest News

E&E News: Senate Republicans reintroduce bill to block Clean Water Act guidance

Senate Republicans are continuing their campaign to halt the Obama administration's plan for clarifying convoluted oversight of wetlands and other water resources, refiling legislation yesterday that would block it from being finalized. Many conservative lawmakers see the so-called Clean Water Act guidance as a federal government overreach because it would increase the number of waters, streams and wetlands under the jurisdiction of the 1972 law. The guidance has been stalled at the White House Office of Management and Budget for more than a year; administration officials have indicated they are preparing for a rulemaking and are weighing whether to issue the guidance in the interim. "The EPA's plan to keep tabs on every single body of water, including prairie potholes and mudflats, is outrageous," Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), cosponsor of the bill with 26 other Republicans, said in a statement. "Washington's unprecedented power grab will have a huge impact on farmer... Read More