WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during a U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) committee business meeting, U.S. Senator Kit Bond today fought back against the efforts of Senate Democrats to hand federal bureaucrats control over nearly every pond and puddle in the United States.

 

“I support protecting our wetlands, but we cannot allow unconstitutional, unlimited federal bureaucrats to run amok over our farmers and farmland,” said Bond.

 

During the business meeting, Bond voted against approving the Clean Water Restoration Act, which Missouri farmers and producers strongly opposed. The bill would expand the federal Clean Water Act and give the Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) control over nearly every state and local stream and body of water.  Bond stressed that any time a farmer or private citizen sought to improve their land involving water a federal permit would be required.

 

Bond emphasized that provisions of the Clean Water Act are rightfully intended to protect wetlands but, over the years federal bureaucrats expanded their control to try to extend their oversight over ditches and even low-lying areas without water for most of the year.  Bond noted that in response, private citizens sued the federal government and the U.S. Supreme Court, in 2001 and 2006 rulings, agreed that the federal government overstepped its bounds. 

 

At issue was a bill by Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) that would extend federal control over all “waters of the United States” making clear that the federal government would have a hand in the business of every farmer and citizen no matter how small or intermittent the body of water.  During the meeting, Bond explained that even if the federal permits could be obtained after months or years of wrangling with federal bureaucrats, the costly fees for the process would hurt farmers. While this proved too radical even for Committee Democrats, changes put forward by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Max Baucus (D-MT)  and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) still overturned the Supreme Court rulings and gave broad control to back federal bureaucrats.  Senator Bond voted against this amendment and the final bill as modified, which passed the Committee and was sent to the floor for full Senate consideration in the future. 

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