NSSGA welcomes US Senate members’ refusal to back down on forcing withdrawal of controversial rule
THE National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) says it is pleased that members of the US Senate will not back down on forcing a withdrawal of the controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.
Senators Joni Ernst and Deb Fischer submitted a resolution that the sense of the Senate is ‘that clean water is a national priority, and that the 29 June 2015 WOTUS rule should be withdrawn or vacated.’
According to the NSSGA, the rule would drastically increase the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and would cost the aggregates industry millions of dollars to comply with new requirements.
A nationwide stay is currently keeping the rule from being implemented across the country.
‘At a time when there is bipartisan agreement on the need for an investment in infrastructure, it is essential that this rule does not add to the costs of airport runways, roads and bridges,’ said Ashley Amidon, NSSGA’s director of government affairs.
‘NSSGA applauds Senators Fischer and Ernst for their principled stand against this unprecedented jurisdictional grab.’
The two senators are the latest lawmakers to push for the withdrawal of the WOTUS rule. Recently, 29 members of Congress sent a letter to President-elect Trump urging the new administration to ‘rescind the harmful and flawed WOTUS rule’ upon taking office.
Trump’s nominee to lead the EPA, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, is also an outspoken opponent of WOTUS and has filed lawsuits against the EPA in an attempt to stop the rule.
