Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today joined his colleagues in introducing legislation to codify the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR). The Navigable Waters Protection Act of 2021 will make a workable definition of the rule permanent, provide certainty to Iowans.
“I’ve worked over the years to put a stop to water rules that would be unworkable for Iowa real estate developers, farmers and landowners,” Grassley said. “Iowa is leading the way in clean energy and our farmers and businesses are good stewards of the land. We need to have a real law on the books so that all Americans can move forward without burdensome regulations.”
Grassley has long been an advocate for reasonable water rules. Grassley and Ernst recently sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to express concerns over the Biden administration’s decision to roll back the previous administration’s Navigable Waters Protection rule. He also gave a speech on the Senate floor highlighting the devastating effects if the rule is rolled back.
Earlier this year, Grassley joined Ernst on a Senate resolution that expressed the need for the U.S. Senate to stand with farmers, ranchers and other important stakeholders by supporting the Trump Administration’s Navigable Waters Protection rule, which replaced the Obama-era WOTUS rule.
This legislation was led by Republican senators on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee; Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
In addition to the EPW members and Grassley, this legislation is sponsored by Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
Original source can be found here.
