Peterson Applauds EPA's Action to Repeal 2015 WOTUS Rule

WASHINGTON– Congressman Collin C. Peterson today made the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) repeal of the 2015 rule defining “waters of the United States” (WOTUS).

“I have been saying for years that our farmers, ranchers, local transportation departments, and businesses need certainty when it comes to WOTUS. This rule was beyond repair and I strongly support EPA’s announcement to repeal this rule which did nothing but cause confusion in our rural communities,” said Peterson.

The WOTUS rule designated an expanded list of waterways regulated under the Clean Water Act. The rule was challenged in the court system which led to regulatory disparities between the states. To fix this problem, Peterson was the lead Democrat on the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015, a bill which required the EPA to withdraw the WOTUS rule and develop a new rule based on input from stakeholders. Peterson supported the Administration’s efforts to reexamine and withdraw WOTUS for the past several years.