Steve Southerland's Bill Pushing Back on EPA Gains Steam

The U.S House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously passed U.S. Rep. Steve Southerlands, R-Fla., Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act on Wednesday. Southerlands bill prevents the federal Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers from regulating most waters, leaving the task mostly to the states as has been the case for more than four decades under the Clean Water Act.

I am pleased that Republicans and Democrats on the committee acted in a bipartisan fashion to recognize the role that states must play in regulating waters within their respective boundaries, said Southerland after the vote. By turning back the administrations brazen power grab, weve stood in defense of a federal/state partnership that has worked for 40 years under the Clean Water Act. As a result, weve taken the first step in restoring certainty for the farmers, manufacturers, and construction and transportation industries that drive Americas economic growth.

The vote won the praise of the Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) and the Florida Farm Bureau.

Associated Industries of Florida and our members applaud todays passage of Congressman Southerlands Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014, said Brewster Bevis, AIFs senior vice president of state and federal affairs. Enactment of this legislation is vital to protecting Floridas employers from job-killing overreach by the federal government, specifically the EPA. Through our Florida H2O Coalition, we are committed to water quality and quantity issues facing Florida and todays action by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee speaks volumes.

Today, the members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee reaffirmed their commitment to protecting family farms and ranches from unconstitutional government intrusion with the passage of HR 5078, said John Hoblick, the president of the Florida Farm Bureau. Im proud that a member of Floridas congressional delegation, Rep. Steve Southerland, has chosen to champion this issue for Floridas growers.