WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife Subcommittee and Chair of the Senate Western Caucus, issued the following statement after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, which ruled in favor of the petitioners and narrowed the Biden administration’s authority to define Waters of the United States (WOTUS). This ruling is a major win for farmers and ranchers in Wyoming, as it provides regulatory clarity regarding what is and what is not covered under the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers’ definition of a WOTUS.
“The Biden administration clearly overreached its authority in defining which waters received federal protections, and I’m glad the Supreme Court agreed with what Republicans have been saying all along. After decades of uncertainty, we finally have a majority opinion from the Supreme Court that will lay this issue to rest once and for all,” said Sen. Lummis. “This court ruling is a win for the hardworking farmers, ranchers, businesses and landowners of Wyoming who desperately needed regulatory clarity when it comes to WOTUS. An irrigation ditch is not navigable water, and the Supreme Court agrees with that statement.”
Sen. Lummis cosponsored a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn this rule. The Senate passed that CRA in March, which President Biden vetoed.
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