Rounds Supports Court Decision on WOTUS

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and Chairman of the EPW Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight, made the following statement on today’s Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to stay the Obama Administration’s recent changes to the definition of “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS). The final WOTUS rule was released earlier this year.

“I support the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision today to suspend the Administration’s final WOTUS rule,” said Rounds. “Today’s decision is a victory for states’ rights and every landowner in the United States. In South Dakota, we rely on our vast land and natural resources for nearly every aspect of our lives: to provide clean water, maximize agricultural production, provide recreation, bring in tourism and more. We are already good stewards of our land without unelected bureaucrats in Washington saddling us with expansive new regulations, permitting and reporting requirements. Today’s decision pushes back on the Obama Administration’s extreme regulatory overreach. This is not the first time EPA’s overreach has been challenged in court. There are also cases pending regarding new fracking regulations and the Clean Power Plan. I will continue to fight to protect South Dakotans from these and other instances of overregulation from the Obama administration.””

On October 9, the United States Court of Appeals in the Sixth Circuit issued a nationwide stay of the final WOTUS rule. In issuing the stay, the court determined that “petitioners have demonstrated a substantial possibility of success on the merits of their claims.” A federal judge in North Dakota had previously blocked the WOTUS rule in 13 states, including South Dakota.