Thompson Joins 170 Reps. In Effort To Protect States, Communities From Unprecedented Federal Overreach

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson has joined a bipartisan group of 170 lawmakers expressing concern that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a dramatic expansion of federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

In December 2010, the EPA issued a “Clean Water Protection Guidance” that would significantly increase the scope of the federal government’s power to regulate waters. The “Guidance,” by the agencies’ own admission, substantively changes federal policy in determining which waters fall under the jurisdiction of the CWA.

“This is a thinly-veiled attempt to bypass formal rulemaking procedures and force implementation of the EPA’s regulatory agenda,” said Thompson. “This so-called ‘Guidance’ will have negative economic consequences for our small businesses, farmers, and communities and upset a longstanding federal and state partnership to enforce current law. Rather than forcing change through drafting guidelines, the EPA should work together with the states and Congress to find solutions that improve current efforts to protect clean water.”

Legislative proposals to expand federal regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act have continually met bipartisan resistance, at the state and federal level. Now the Administration is attempting to achieve the same objective through so-called “Guidance” without following standard rule making procedure designed for all regulatory agencies under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).

The letter, sent to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, was initiated by Republican and Democrat Members of Congress on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, who were joined by a larger, bipartisan group of House Members. This includes Pennsylvanians Jason Altmire (D-4); Bill Shuster (R-9); Tom Marino (R-10); Lou Barletta (R-11); Mark Critz (D-12); Charles Dent (R-15); Tim Holden (D-17); and Tim Murphy (R-18).

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