EPA Deems Ownership of America's Waterways

Floor Speech

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, well, they are at it again. It is another overreach by this administration. This time, the U.S. EPA is reaching not only what you might term navigable waterways, but all waterways of the United States they want to deem as theirs.

This would mean mud puddles, and this would mean irrigation ditches and drainage ditches. They want to have jurisdiction over everything, so they can regulate it, tax it, and what-have-you.

It goes way beyond anything that has ever been legislated in this body and is a complete overreach. The U.S. EPA needs to withdraw this proposed rule. It is outside of the law.

It is outside of the ability of our people to have private property rights and to have an economy, especially in rural America, where farming, ranching, and timber operations can all be affected by a vast overreach by the U.S. EPA.

They need to withdraw this rule. We need to hear from the American people how this is going to affect them in their jobs in their local economies.

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