September 9, 2014

Today Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s First Congressional District and a member of the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment released the following statement regarding the passage of H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act:

“I remain concerned about the unintended impacts that the proposed rule on waters of the United States by the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers could have on regions like the desert Southwest. Nonetheless, I opposed H.R. 5078 because it is a broad, unworkable piece of legislation that not only has no chance of becoming law, but is overreaching and puts drinking water for millions of Americans at further risk. The legislation also fails to address the need to establish a sensible, national policy to protect vital water resources while providing a permitting process that allows reasonable development. Rather than passing politically-charged messaging bills, we should be working towards solutions. That is why I voted in favor of an amendment that would limit the EPA’s jurisdiction to waters covered under rules established prior to the Supreme Court decision which muddied the current regulatory regime. This language would ensure that ephemeral streams and other geological formations common in the Southwest remain outside the restriction of the Clean Water Act. I believe that this alternate proposal achieves the same goals without the political gamesmanship found in H.R. 5078.”