By Vincent Salandro | Builder
Following efforts from interest groups from the housing, infrastructure, and agricultural sectors, the Senate approved a resolution against the Biden administration’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule under the Clean Water Act (CWA).
The Senate’s 53-43 vote follows a similar vote from the House of Representatives passing the Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval, which would rescind the WOTUS rule.
“[The bipartisan Senate vote] sends a strong message to the administration and American people about the damaging effects of federal overreach,” NAHB chairman Alicia Huey said in a statement following the vote. “The Biden WOTUS rule does little to strengthen our nation’s water resources, but it does radically extend the areas in which home builders are required to get federal wetlands permits by making human-made ditches and isolated ponds on private property subject to federal jurisdiction. Adding uncertainty and delay to the federal permitting process needlessly raises housing costs at a time when the nation is already facing a housing affordability crisis.”
