Biden Vetoes Dirty Water Resolution
President Joe Biden has followed through on his promise to veto a Congressional resolution which would have disallowed his administration’s restoration of Clean Water Act protection for critical waters and wetlands.
Under Biden’s appointed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan, the EPA scrapped the Trump Dirty Water Rule and approved a new Clean Water Rule protecting “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) from destruction by dumping or draining.
In his veto message, Biden said, “The 2023 revised definition of ‘Waters of the United States’ carefully sets the bounds for which bodies of water are protected under the Clean Water Act. It provides clear rules of the road that will help advance infrastructure projects, economic investments, and agricultural activities — all while protecting water quality and public health. The resolution would leave Americans without a clear definition of ‘Waters of the United States’. The increased uncertainty caused by H.J. Res. 27 would threaten economic growth, including for agriculture, local economies, and downstream communities. Farmers would be left wondering whether artificially irrigated areas remain excluded or not. Construction crews would be left wondering whether their waterfilled gravel pits remain excluded or not. The resolution would also negatively affect tens of millions of United States households that depend on healthy wetlands and streams. Therefore, I am vetoing this resolution.”
In brief, Biden explained via Tweet, “Every American has a right to clean water. This veto protects that right.” Reacting to the veto, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Director of Federal Water Policy Jon Devine said, “With this veto, President Biden stood up for the streams and wetlands that feed into countless waterways nationwide. He stood up for clean water in the face of a reckless and senseless attack. He put clean water above polluter profits and preserved the ability of future presidents to do the same.”
