Senators Introduce Legislation to Uphold Navigable Waters Protection Rule

Republican Senators on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee led the introduction last week of legislation to codify the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Act. The lawmakers said U.S. farmers need certainty in the guidelines, so the Navigable Waters Protection Act of 2021 will provide it.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley was one of the senators behind the legislation. “I’ve worked over the years to put a stop to water rules that would be unworkable for farmers, real estate developers, and landowners,” Grassley said. “Our farmers and businesses are good stewards of the land, and we need to have a real law on the books so Americans can move forward without burdensome regulations.”

Grassley and fellow Iowa Senator Joni Ernst wrote a letter to Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack to express concerns over the Biden Administration’s decision to roll back the previous administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule. He also gave a speech on the Senate floor highlighting the devastating effects if the rule gets rolled back. Earlier this year, the Iowa senators joined together on a Senate resolution that expressed the need for the Senate to stand with farmers, ranchers, and other important stakeholders by supporting the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.

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