Senator Tim Scott Statement on the EPA’s Regulatory Overreach

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) released the following statement on the recently-announced regulatory overreach from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) redefining Waters of the United States (WOTUS).

“The Biden administration continues to create confusion and bureaucratic burdens for hard-working farmers and landowners in South Carolina and across the country,” said Senator Scott. “This new big-government WOTUS rule will remove power from farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, homeowners, and small business owners and put it in the hands of the EPA to regulate private waters. With more wetlands than the majority of states, South Carolina stands to be disproportionately harmed by this regulatory overreach. I am hopeful the upcoming Supreme Court ruling will provide much-needed clarity and economic freedom.”

Background:

The Biden administration announced this new WOTUS rule on December 30, 2022.

Senator Scott has consistently opposed increasing the EPA’s jurisdiction over private waters through the WOTUS rule:

• In 2015, Sen Scott opposed the then-proposed WOTUS rule increasing federal overreach. He also joined his Senate colleagues to protect Americans from the expanded WOTUS rule.
• In 2022, Sen. Scott and his Senate Republican colleagues raised concerns to the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on their pending rule change.

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