WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry to hear testimony from stakeholders across the country, including Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge about the impact of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) overreaching “Waters of the Unites States” (WOTUS) proposed rule.

Click here for video of Boozman’s introduction and Rutledge’s testimony

“Arkansas, farmers, ranchers and agriculture producers are under attack by the overreach of the EPA and its proposed WOTUS rule that negatively impacts rural America. I have serious concerns about the agency’s power grab because it will make life harder for Arkansas families, circumvents Congress and is beyond the intent of the Clean Water Act. I appreciate Attorney General Rutledge’s testimony and look forward to working with her, my colleagues in the Senate and concerned Arkansans to prevent this rule’s implementation,” Boozman said.

“The proposed WOTUS rule from the EPA expands the Clean Water Act beyond the intent of Congress and adds greater confusion and uncertainty for Arkansas’s farmers and ranchers. If allowed to move forward, this rule could drive future generations out of agriculture, and ultimately impact the food supply of all Americans. I appreciate Senator Boozman and the leadership of the Arkansas Congressional Delegation on this issue, and I look forward to continuing to work them to halt this rule’s implementation. As the chief legal officer, I am prepared to pursue all legal challenges necessary to prevent this unlawful rule from impacting our State,” Rutledge said.

In March of 2014 the EPA published the WOTUS rule that would give the administration much greater power to oversee the land use decisions of homeowners, small businesses and family farms throughout the country. The Clean Water Act, passed by Congress nearly 40 years ago, provides for water quality protection through partnerships between the federal government and the states, but it does not provide unlimited power to the federal government.