• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Saturday, June 10, 2023
The Iowa Torch
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
The Iowa Torch
The Iowa Torch
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

Ernst: A Gut Punch to Iowans

Joni Ernst: A gut punch to Iowans. That’s the only way to describe the Biden Administration’s decision to roll back the previous administration’s Navigable Water Protection Rule.

Joni ErnstbyJoni Ernst
June 21, 2021
in Opinion
Reading Time: 4 mins read
Ernst Expresses Concern About Trump’s Upcoming Senate Impeachment Trial

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has served in the U.S. Senate since 2015.

A gut punch to Iowans. That’s the only way to describe the Biden Administration’s decision to roll back the previous administration’s Navigable Water Protection Rule. Sadly, for those of us who have been on the frontlines of this fight since 2015, this news is not a surprise.

RELATED POSTS

Feenstra: Protecting Iowa corn growers through the USMCA

Miller-Meeks: Addressing America’s debt crisis

Hendrickson: Failed trade policy benefits China

Now let me be clear: everyone can agree that clean water should be a national priority. Iowans, and all Americans, want sensible safeguards that protect our environment and keep our nation’s water clean. But what they don’t want is a one-size-fits-all, Washington power grab that makes it harder for Iowans to farm, ranch, and build.

That’s why, in 2015, when the Obama-Biden Administration finalized its Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule—giving the federal government authority to regulate water on 97 percent of the land in Iowa—I immediately got to work to get it off the books. I fought to nullify the rule, but even after my bill passed both the House and Senate with bipartisan support, it was vetoed by President Obama.

But I didn’t back down, and even before President Trump took office, I signaled my intent to work with him on a new, more flexible rule. And we did: the Trump Administration released a proposed rule to replace the Obama-era rule with one that provided much-needed predictability and certainty for farmers. Importantly, it established clear and reasonable definitions of what qualifies as a “water of the United States.” That rule, entitled the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, was finalized in January 2020.

As they say, however, elections have consequences. Anticipating a return to the Obama-Biden era of burdensome regulations, at the beginning of this year I urged the Senate to stand with workers, farmers, manufacturers, and businesses by upholding the previous administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule.

Despite having the support of 25 of my colleagues and stakeholders across the country, the Biden Administration ignored these concerns, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced their plans to undo all of our progress.

The reality is the fight for Iowa’s agriculture community is never over, and right now I’m working to push back on any harmful regulation this new administration might impose on these hardworking folks.

Together with Senator Chuck Grassley, I’m pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, to make known to the president and his colleagues at the EPA and the Corps the serious concerns Iowa’s farmers and ranchers have with their recent actions on WOTUS. I’m also working to strengthen the voices Iowa’s small businesses in the federal rulemaking process. Too often, Washington bureaucrats put forward rules and regulations without considering their impact on small businesses—and the Obama-Biden WOTUS rule is a perfect example. That’s why I’ve put forward the Prove It Act which allows our small businesses to send federal agencies back to the drawing board to “prove” what they’re proposing won’t hurt small businesses. Specifically, the bill gives the Small Business Administration the ability to question an agency’s analysis if it claims a rule or regulation won’t impact small businesses.

ADVERTISEMENT

When it comes to WOTUS, instead of continuing to confuse Iowa’s hardworking families, farmers, and businesses by changing its definition with each new administration, we need to make a reasonable, workable definition permanent. To do so, I helped introduce the Define WOTUS Act. This commonsense effort is more important now than ever.

There’s simply no reason to return to the Obama-era ways of giving an unchecked federal agency and unelected Washington bureaucrats more authority to control what’s done on private land. I will always fight tooth and nail for Iowa’s agriculture community, our working families, and our small businesses—and I’ll continue to push back against any attempts to impose complex, burdensome, and overreaching regulations on folks in our state.

Tags: Biden AdministrationEnvironmental Protection AgencyJoni ErnstU.S. Army Corps of EngineersWaters of the USWOTUS
ShareTweetShare
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Ernst Calls on Biden Administration to Publicly Release Immigration Plan

Next Post

Hinson Completes 2nd Tour of All 20 Counties in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District

Joni Ernst

Joni Ernst

Joni Ernst has represented Iowa in the U.S. Senate since 2015. A Republican from Red Oak, Ernst served in the Iowa State Senate from 2011 to 2014, and in the Iowa Army National Guard from 1993 to 2015, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

Related Posts

blue and red freight truck on road
State Government

Attorney General Bird challenges California’s truck ban

June 7, 2023
Bird Says She Will Challenge Tom Miller for Attorney General
Opinion

Attorney General Bird sues Biden Administration over border policies

June 2, 2023
The Des Moines River from the High Trestle Trail bridge near Madrid, Iowa.
Opinion

Naig: Iowa’s water quality progress continues to accelerate

June 1, 2023
Bio Ethanol on the Way
Opinion

Miller-Meeks: Iowa is the future of renewable energy

May 23, 2023
Ernst: Let’s build the border wall instead of charging taxpayers to babysit materials
Opinion

Ernst: Biden’s border blind eye

May 16, 2023
black handled key on key hole
Opinion

Feenstra: President Biden’s unfair mortgage rule punishes responsible homeowners

May 11, 2023
Next Post

Hinson Completes 2nd Tour of All 20 Counties in Iowa's 1st Congressional District

Miller-Meeks Receives Second Fine from Pelosi for Not Wearing a Mask

Miller-Meeks: Nothing to be Hesitant About

Sign-Up For Our Daily Updates

Get The Iowa Torch right in your inbox!

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

Recommended Articles

Iowa House Approves Charter School Expansion

March 25, 2021
Reynolds Extends Regulatory Relief for COVID-19 Recovery

Reynolds Signs ‘Divisive Concepts’ Ban in Taxpayer-Funded Diversity Training

June 8, 2021
Reynolds Announces Employer Innovation Fund and Child Care Challenge Funding Opportunities

Reynolds to Send State Troopers to Aid with Border Security Efforts

June 25, 2021

Popular Stories

  • blue and red freight truck on road

    Attorney General Bird challenges California’s truck ban

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Iowa families apply for education savings accounts in droves

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Iowa Senate Democrats select Pam Jochum as leader, replace Zach Wahls

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ramaswamy campaign announces Matt Schultz as Iowa co-chairman

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Scott launches two new ads airing in Iowa

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

The Iowa Torch

The Iowa Torch​ is a for-profit, news organization that focuses on political news as it relates to Iowans

Categories

  • Education
  • Federal Government
  • Iowa History
  • Local Government
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • State Government
  • Uncategorized
  • Uncategorized

Newsletter

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.