My battle to halt EPA power grab

             Randy Weber

Washington watch with Randy Weber

US congressman Randy Weber writes about his work as part of our nation’s government – exclusively in The Post

It’s time to ditch the federal environment protection agency’s regulation to redefine the “waters of the United States”. This is yet another action by the agency to expand the scope of its regulatory reach and is an unprecedented assault on our economy. Congress must rein in the EPA’s powers.
On June 29, the agency announced a final rule that expanded the scope of waters protected under the federal clean-water act, which historically has included only those defined as “navigable waters”. This regulation breeds confusion by poorly and broadly redefining “navigable waters” to potentially include dry tributaries, wetlands, or even any water within 4,000 feet of a tributary.
EPA’s action would dramatically expand the scope of environmental laws and increases the risk of enforcement action against Texas farmers and ranchers, creating more red tape and uncertainty for the state’s landowners.
Unilaterally expanding the definition of “waters of the United States” will force more property owners to apply for permits under the clean-water act, which can be tremendously costly and can restrict the use of land.
In response to the final rule, last month the US house of representatives passed a joint resolution with the US senate to disapprove and effectively block this regulation. Unfortunately, the president vetoed the joint resolution on January 20.
Although this veto would allow the rule to move forward, lawsuits from 30 states and several organizations since its publication have been filed in an effort to block its implementation. Thankfully, on October 9, a federal appeals court blocked the rule’s implementation until certain judicial proceedings are resolved.
The American people and their representatives have spoken and it’s up to the judiciary to ultimately decide the fate of this burdensome regulation.
As if EPA bureaucrats didn’t get the message, in 2014 and 2015 the agency moved forward on a campaign of misinformation to confuse the public. According to the government accountability office, the agency violated the law when it used social media to lobby the public in favor of the regulation. The agency even used taxpayer funds to link to environmental organizations that had a bias in favor of its action.
As congress moves forward legislatively in 2016, my colleagues and I will continue to use every tool at our disposal to block unwise and costly regulations like this one. I do not support any bureaucratic overreach that negatively impacts our individual freedoms and property rights and I will continue to work to ensure that the American people remain the rightful stewards of their land. It is time to put America first!
Randy Weber is the US representative for the 14th district of Texas, which covers Brazoria, Galveston and Jefferson counties.