WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) applauded today’s U.S. Circuit Court ruling that blocks implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule on a nationwide basis.

“Today the court stood up for the law and commonsense by blocking President Obama’s heavy-handed attempt to control every body of water in the country. In light of this decision, the EPA should immediately abandon this misguided power grab,” Boozman said. “Arkansans don’t need DC bureaucrats controlling our land. We already protect water quality through federal-state partnerships. States, local communities and private citizens already go to great lengths to protect our natural resources. We must ensure they remain a vital part of the process, instead of giving all power to Washington.”

An earlier injunction by a federal district court blocked implementation in 13 states, including Arkansas. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals extended the earlier injunction to all 50 states.

Boozman called the injunction “an important step in the legal battle” and stressed that efforts to push back on the EPA’s overreach are ongoing in Congress.

“I know Attorney General Rutledge is committed to seeing this fight through to the end. Our Congressional delegation is as well. While the legal battles continue, my colleagues and I are pursuing legislative fixes to the mess the EPA has created,” Boozman said.

Boozman is a cosponsor of the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, a bipartisan bill that reins in EPA overreach and gives the agency direction to write a rule that protects our waters without eroding the rights of landowners. He is also cosponsoring a joint resolution of disapproval that would reverse the WOTUS rule.