Obama Set to Strengthen Federal Role in Clean Water Regulation

New York Times ^ | May 22, 2015 | By CORAL DAVENPORT

[Brad from Tennessee]

The Obama administration is expected in the coming days to announce a major clean water regulation that would restore the federal government’s authority to limit pollution in the nation’s rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands.

Environmentalists have praised the new rule, calling it an important step that would lead to significantly cleaner natural bodies of water and healthier drinking water.

But it has attracted fierce opposition from several business interests, including farmers, property developers, fertilizer and pesticide makers, oil and gas producers and a national association of golf course owners. Opponents contend that the rule would stifle economic growth and intrude on property owners’ rights.

Republicans in Congress point to the rule as another example of what they call executive overreach by the Obama administration. Already, they are advancing legislation on Capitol Hill meant to block or delay the rule. . .

[Rodamala]

I shit you not... I was on a railroad rehabilitation projects that was going to fix washouts, clean ditches and culverts, and replace crossties on a railroad that got flooded in 2006 and was out of service, and the environmental girl in the office was blowing the engineering budget with permitting for the DEP and Army Corps of Engineers.

There were screaming matches in the office as all our profit disappeared... you see... railroad maintenance is already heavily regulated by fedzilla... The environmental girl told us that the EPA considers a "waterway" as "navigable" if a microbe may cross the boundary of the project. I was like, "No, this is a obstructed drainage violation of 49 CFR 213... CLEAN THE DITCH"

[VerySadAmerican]

Republicans in Congress point to the rule as another example of what they call executive overreach by the Obama administration.

THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!