(NewsDakota.com/NDAgConnection.com) – Senator John Hoeven Wednesday issued the following statement after the Biden administration’s final rule to redefine the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) was published in the Federal Register.

“The Biden administration’s new WOTUS definition is a costly federal overreach that we cannot afford,” said Hoeven. “President Biden continues to push America down the wrong path with higher taxes and burdensome regulations that will stifle needed energy development and only make inflation worse. We should instead take a states-first approach to protecting our land and waters that respects private property rights and will help reduce costs across the economy, including for our agriculture and energy producers.”

Meanwhile, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum issued a statement.

“After North Dakota led the fight against the Obama administration’s misguided WOTUS rule, it’s disappointing that the Biden administration is doubling down on this overreaching policy,” Burgum said. “The EPA’s reworked version of WOTUS has the same problems as its predecessor, violating landowner rights and creating confusion for farmers, ranchers and industry by adding red tape and erroneously classifying almost every stream, pond and wetland as a federally managed water. The result will be higher costs for food, fuel and other consumer goods with no substantial benefit to the environment. North Dakota has some of the cleanest water in the nation, and this proposed rule threatens our state’s legitimate authority to protect our own waters from pollution. It’s a prime example of federal overreach that ought to be withdrawn, or at least delayed until the U.S. Supreme Court issues a decision in the Sackett v. EPA case related to Clean Water Act jurisdiction. We look forward to supporting North Dakota’s attorney general in challenging this new rule.”

Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said, “I am disappointed that this administration is taking a step backward, which will infringe on our state’s sovereignty and will federalize almost all of North Dakota’s water. North Dakota prides itself on the effective management of its waters for its citizens. I will work to protect the unique interests of North Dakota’s landowners, farmers, ranchers and other stakeholders in opposing this rule and the regulatory uncertainty it creates.”