FEDERALhearing transcript

Hearing on the Future of the 'Waters of the United States' (WOTUS) Rule

Original title: THE FUTURE OF WOTUS: EXAMINING THE ROLE OF STATES

January 1, 2018

WOTUS EPA Water Policy Federalism Environmental Regulation Land Use

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing examines the scope of federal authority over water bodies, which determines whether private landowners and states must comply with federal EPA regulations or manage water resources under state-level policies.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Private Landowners

Landowners are subject to federal regulations if their property contains water bodies defined as 'Waters of the United States'.

State Governments

States are involved in determining the extent of their own regulatory authority versus federal oversight.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2018.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is a transcript of a 2017 House hearing regarding the 'Waters of the United States' () rule. The hearing focused on the role of individual states in regulating water and the impact of federal environmental definitions on private landowners.

Why It Matters

Key Facts

The hearing took place on November 29, 2017, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
The subject is the 2015 'Waters of the United States' (WOTUS) rule issued by the EPA.
Chairman Andy Biggs characterized the 2015 rule as a federal overreach affecting private land regulation.
The hearing included testimony from state officials, private ranchers, legal academics, and attorneys.
The subcommittee examined the balance of power between federal agencies and state governments regarding water regulation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the WOTUS rule?

stands for 'Waters of the United States,' a rule issued by the EPA in 2015 that defines which bodies of water fall under federal jurisdiction and regulation.

Why was this hearing held?

The hearing was held to examine the role of states in water regulation and to discuss concerns regarding federal authority over private land use.

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Federalism Debate

The hearing highlights a clear push by the 115th Congress to re-examine federal environmental definitions in favor of state-level control.

Environmental Protection Agency Subcommittee on Environment

Connected Entities

personJames K. Chilton Jr.“Rancher, Chilton Ranch”Map →

personKen Kopocis“Adjunct Associate Professor, American University Washington College of Law”Map →

personReed Hopper“Senior Attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation”Map →

organizationEnvironmental Protection Agency“The federal agency responsible for the 2015 WOTUS rule”Map →

personAndy Biggs“Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment”Map →

personWesley Mehl“Deputy Commissioner, Arizona State Land Department”Map →

personSuzanne Bonamici“Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Environment”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy75
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

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