WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Mining Association (NMA) today released a statement from President & CEO Rich Nolan concerning the revised Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule.
“Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court provided an important check to the federal government’s jurisdiction over water and land features. Now, just three months later, the administration returns with a revised WOTUS rule that perpetuates prior government overreach, infringing on state authority, and disregarding the court’s call for clarity, creating more regulatory confusion and uncertainty when just the opposite is needed. Given the soaring demand for mined materials and the need for domestic production to both help meet that demand and secure the nation’s supply chains, this rule was an opportunity to advance a regulatory framework that would support the development of strong domestic supply chains; instead, it has created a new obstacle. The mining industry is committed to protecting our nation’s treasured water resources and we support responsible regulatory efforts to achieve that end, but this rule simply misses the mark by irresponsibly ignoring the intent of the Supreme Court.”
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