WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today called on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to allow the Senate to act on critical legislation to protect farmers, ranchers and private property owners from proposed Waters of the U.S. rule changes by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“The House has approved bipartisan legislation to stop the EPA’s regulatory assault on farm country through its proposed changes to the ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule,” Roberts said. “It is time for the Senate to act on this commonsense legislation to protect farmers, ranchers and other private property owners from confusing and vague proposed rules. I call on Majority Leader Reid to call up the House passed bill or the Senate bills that would stop this attack on rural America.”
Yesterday, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act, by a bipartisan vote of 262-152. This bill would prohibit the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers from enacting the proposed rule redefining waters of the United States in the Clean Water Act.
Senator Roberts has cosponsored and voted for legislation to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from finalizing the rule. He is an original cosponsor of S. 2496, the Protecting Water and Property Rights Act, and S. 1006, the Preserve the Waters of the United States Act, and has also cosponsored Senator Rand Paul’s Defense of Environment and Property Act, S. 890. He supported an amendment no. 888 to preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the United States during debate of S. 601, the Water Resources Development Act. For more on Senator Roberts efforts go here.
In July, Senator Roberts and other Agriculture Committee Republicans met with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. In the meeting, Roberts expressed frustration with the Agency’s recent dismissal of concerns from Kansans regarding the proposed Waters of the U.S. rules. Roberts took issue with the EPA’s recent campaign calling these concerns “myths.”
“Just two weeks ago, you were in Missouri to meet with producers regarding the proposed Waters of the United States regulation. Farmers and ranchers had hoped they would be able to persuade you to recognize the far reaching and negative impacts of the proposed and interpretive rules, but the reports back have not been positive.” Roberts said. “To hear that their concerns were categorized as ‘silly’ or ‘ludicrous’ is truly frustrating.”
Roberts has fought regulations that hurt farmers and ranchers, hospitals, businesses and consumers. He is an outspoken opponent of costly regulations that harm the economy and job creation.
Senator Roberts is also an outspoken opponent of the EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit that is now required in addition to any label requirements or restrictions already placed on the use of a pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
This double permitting requires approximately 35,000 pesticide applicators to get permits to cover about 500,000 applications per year. EPA estimates determined the permit rule will cost states, local entities and pesticide applicators $50 million and require one million hours to implement per year.
Roberts and Senator Mike Johanns have introduced a bill, S. 175, to ensure Clean Water Act permits are not needed for the applications of pesticides and amends FIFRA by stating that no permit shall be required for the use of a pesticide that is registered under FIFRA. Roberts introduced the same legislation in the last Congress where it was blocked from consideration on the Senate floor.
Responding to the concerns of Kansans, Senator Roberts has also fought the cap and tax scheme for its negligible impact on climate. He says cap and tax policies will simply pass on costs to consumers already struggling in this tough economy.
Roberts is a senior member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.