Senator Murkowski Commends Move to Block WOTUS Rule
New Federal Rule Represents Unprecedented Expansion of Federal Authority Over Wetlands
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski today applauded the preliminary injunction put in place to block the Obama administration’s controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, just hours before it was due to take effect. Federal Judge Ralph Erickson of North Dakota found that 13 states, including the State of Alaska, suing to block the rule met the conditions necessary for a preliminary injunction.
“The ruling by a circuit court judge against the EPA’s ‘Waters of the United States’ rule is a welcome rejection of this controversial attempt to expand the EPA’s jurisdiction over public and private property. Not only has this rule incited a bipartisan backlash nationwide, but it’s potentially an illegal move that could devastate Alaska’s economy. Today’s decision is a good step, but we need to continue the legislative fight against the EPA’s overreach. This is why I leveraged my position as Chairman of the Interior Appropriations Committee to block EPA’s funding to keep them from implementing the WOTUS rule.”
“Simply put, the EPA’s attempted expansion of the Clean Water Act could be a show stopper for Alaska’s development, and I have condemned this proposal since it was announced earlier this year. With half of all the wetlands in the United States we would be disproportionately impacted by this rule and hundreds of thousands of acres in our state would be deemed ‘hands-off’ by bureaucrats 4,000 miles away who don’t understand or care about the harm that would be done.”
