Washington, DC – May 13, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Representative Tom Rooney (FL-17) issued the following statement on legislation under consideration in the House today to block an EPA proposal that would give the agency unprecedented new authority to regulate bodies of water on private property, including ditches and farm ponds.
“Floridians understand and respect our waterways unlike any other state,” Rooney said. “Environmentalists, farmers and businesses have come together to protect our environment and eliminate water pollutants, and their efforts are working. It’s time for the federal government to learn from this functioning dynamic.
“We all want clean water, but for the EPA to start regulating farm ponds and puddles would be laughable if the costs weren’t so high. Complying with the EPA’s new rules would cost Florida farmers, families and local governments billions of dollars. It will slow our economic recovery, kill jobs in our state, and hurt our farmers’ ability to feed the nation.”
The House is scheduled to vote today on H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act, which would require the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw the current proposed rule and develop a new proposal that takes into account comments received, economic analysis, and recommendations from state and local officials, stakeholders, and other interested parties.
