The Senate considered, and ultimately passed, legislation to reauthorize agricultural programs through 2017, commonly known as the Farm Bill. AGC and its industry partners were targeting this bill as a legislative vehicle for inclusion of a provision to prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) from finalizing their guidance that would allegedly “clarify” what waters are subject to federal control and permit requirements under the Clean Water Act. AGC maintains that the guidance, if finalized in its current form, would significantly expand federal jurisdiction - thereby increasing construction costs and project delays.
The amendment (S.AMDT 2165) was submitted by Senator Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and co-sponsored by Senators Boozman (R-Ark.), Inhofe (R-Okla.), Sessions (R-Ala.), Heller (R-Nev.), Vitter (R-La.), and Crapo (R-Idaho). It was among several hundred amendments filed to the bill. However, Majority Leader Reid (D-Nev.) held very strict germaneness standards, so the Barrasso Amendment was not brought up for consideration and thus no vote was taken.
AGC will continue to work with industry partners in the Waters Advocacy Coalition to identify opportunities to advance legislation halting a jurisdictional overreach by the Agencies. If you would like to contact your Members of Congress about this issue, click here.
For more information contact Scott Berry at (703) 837-5321 or berrys@agc.org or Leah Pilconis at (703) 837-5332 or pilconisl@agc.org.
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