THE HILL: Opinion: EPA proposal will provide a balanced way to protect rivers and other major bodies of water
Every citizen of this country wants crystal-clean water, but virtually no one wants the federal government to monitor and control every last corner of the country in pursuit of that goal. Are these priorities compatible? Is it possible for the government to conduct reasonable, necessary environmental protection of our crucial waterways while leaving law-abiding citizens, private landowners, family farmers and outdoor recreationists alone?
According to President Trump and Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, the answer is a resounding ‘Yes’. I completely agree – here’s why:
Today, Administrator Wheeler unveiled a new plan for protecting rivers and other major bodies of water throughout the United States. Under the Clean Water Act, the administrator is legally required to have in place publicly-disclosed, predictable regulatory plans to secure environmental protection. Such protection starts with a definition: what constitutes “waters of the United States” as referenced in the Act?
The exact definition matters. Whatever gets called “navigable waters” is subject to significant regulatory control by the federal government. Everyone knows that when the Feds come in and tell you to jump, you have to respond “how high?” if you know what’s good for you. The issue at hand is whether the definition applies to major drinking water sources and other significant bodies, or truly to every “point water source” the Feds can get their hands on.
