Hoeven, Cramer send water letter to EPA

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer signed a letter Friday urging government agencies to avoid changing Trump-era rules regarding the Clean Water Act.

This comes as Biden administration officials seek to return to more restrictive clean water protection rules, similar to those implemented under former President Obama.

The letter, addressed to the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was signed by the entire Senate Republican Conference.

Hoeven says it’s an issue that affects all property rights.

“Whether you’re a farmer, whether you’re in the energy industry, or whether you’re just a homeowner. All of a sudden, you have to go to the EPA and get regulations on managing even water that’s flooding your land after a heavy rainfall or something like that. It makes no sense,” said Hoeven.

Hoeven and his Republican colleagues in the Senate anticipate any rule changes to the Clean Water Act made by the Biden Administration will be overturned by the Supreme Court as early as this summer.

Proponents of the Biden Administration’s proposed changes disagree, claiming the revisions would better protect the nation’s waters and wetlands.