The Portland Cement Association applauded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for their proposed rule revising the definition of ‘Waters of the United States’ (WOTUS).
This new proposal would provide long needed certainty to individuals and business in understanding their right to use their private lands, and allow states to carry out their longstanding role in ensuring sustainable and productive land use.
“Previously conflicting U.S. Supreme Court rulings on the Clean Water Act left manufacturers without a clear and consistent set of criteria for when the law would impact their businesses,” said Portland Cement Association President and CEO Mike Ireland. “Unfortunately, the EPA’s prior attempts to clarify those criteria did little to reduce the uncertainty while expanding the reach of the federal government. This expanded reach posed a threat to the ability of cement manufacturers to provide cement for our country’s infrastructure.”
Ireland added, “EPA’s new proposal balances the need to encourage economic growth with protecting the environment. We particularly appreciate EPA’s exclusion of quarries from the definition – a common sense provision that helps ensure that our members can meet the demand for resilient and sustainable building materials. As the federal government steps in to improve our nations declining infrastructure, cement manufacturers stand ready to lead in that effort.”
