Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) on Wednesday voted for and the House Appropriations Committee passed the fiscal year 2017 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, which cuts the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) budget by $164 million and maintains its lowest staffing level since 1989. The legislation also includes a provision preventing the EPA from implementing its “Waters of the U.S.” rule.
“The EPA is President Obama’s favorite tool to use in implementing his radical, job-killing climate agenda,” said Rep.
Graves. “By cutting EPA’s budget and limiting its staffing levels, we’re restricting the EPA’s ability to interfere with our jobs, businesses and property.
“Just one example of EPA overreach is its proposal to vastly expand the definition of waterways so it can regulate small streams, farm ponds and irrigation ditches, which would be devastating for farmers and ranchers in Georgia and across the country. I’m proud to say our bill sinks this proposal.”
The “Waters of the U.S.” rule
was proposed by the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers in 2013. It would significantly broaden the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act and result in a major expansion of federal government power over land across America, he said.