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WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, in a YouTube video release today, warned that passage of legislation scheduled to be considered before the EPW Committee would have huge implications on rural America. In the video, Senator Inhofe called the bill the “biggest bureaucratic power grab in a generation.” The little-talked about bill, the Clean Water Restoration Act (S. 787), sponsored by Senator Feingold, would seek to “extend the scope and reach of federal water jurisdiction beyond anything that ever existed under the Clean Water Act.”

Full Script of YouTube Video

Rural America - watch out.  Democrats here in Washington are pushing for legislation this week that would be the biggest bureaucratic power grab in a generation, and directed right at America's heartland. A little-talked about bill with huge implications will be considered this Thursday before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

The bill, named the Clean Water Restoration Act, sponsored by Senator Feingold, seeks to require a federal permit for just about any activity that could affect virtually any body of water.  In other words, the bill would extend the scope and reach of federal water jurisdiction beyond anything that ever existed under the Clean Water Act. 

In fact, if Democrats have it their way, they would put under federal jurisdiction virtually anywhere water collects, including mudflats, sandflats, prairie potholes, roadside ditches and backyard ponds. 

So, if you're a farmer who wants to fill in a ditch, watch out:  you've impounded water, so your water is now "waters of the United States."

Are you hunting on your land?  You had better not be near any body of water, including intermittent streams, because your bullets could potentially pollute some part of the aquatic system.

And if you're a state with water bodies completely within your state, well, your state is suddenly not as capable of protecting those waters as well as Washington bureaucrats.

That's despite 37 years where the federal government and the states have successfully partnered to improve the quality of our nation's lakes, streams, and rivers.   

As a proud conservative Senator from Oklahoma, and as a former mayor, I know all too well the consequences of federal bureaucratic overreach.   You can bet I will be doing everything in my power to protect our freedoms from those who seek to use environmental law to transfer more and more power from the states back here to Washington.

What can you do to help me stop this? Make your voice heard by leaving a comment in the comment section below. I will make sure your comments are considered before the Committee meeting.

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