WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final rule on the "waters of the United States" (WOTUS). 

“This EPA overreach threatens farmers, ranchers and private landowners' ability to use their property. This rule will raise costs without providing clean water benefits, takes control away from states and increases uncertainty all while causing project delays as Arkansans try to figure out where this EPA power-grab applies. 

The agency believes that unless it controls all of our nation’s water, this resource is not protected. This couldn’t be further from the truth. 

There is bipartisan agreement that this rule extends beyond the authority of EPA. It’s time to pass the bipartisan Federal Water Quality Protection Act, which I am cosponsoring, to clarify the role of Washington bureaucrats. I will continue to work with my colleagues to reverse this rule.”