Zinke Responds to Judicial Hold on WOTUS

Press Release

Yesterday a U.S. District Court judge in North Dakota issued a temporary injunction against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers' Waters of the U.S (WOTUS) rule, calling it "exceptionally expansive.' The ruling blocks implementation of the rule in 13 states pending further judicial proceedings. Montana is one of 13 states who will receive the injunction, others include: North Dakota, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, South Dakota and Wyoming. Earlier this year, Zinke voted in support of H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act, which would require the EPA to withdraw its proposal or finalized rule.

"The Waters of the United States rule is an unconstitutional abuse of executive power that would have devastating impacts on Montana's economy," said Rep. Ryan Zinke. "It is unacceptable that the EPA is bypassing Congress and the people to implement regulations that will be carried out by unelected bureaucrats who have never been to Montana and don't know the difference between Bozeman and Billings. Our water resources are precious. The EPA rule will do nothing for conservation, only stifle the economy and infringe on the rights of private property owners across our great state. I commend Attorney General Fox for leading the fight in the courts and winning the injunction for Montana."

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