Republican Overreach Threatens America’s Waterways and Outdoors

Washington, D.C.—Today, House Republicans passed H.R. 3189, the so-called Water Rights Protection Act. The originally stated intent of the bill was to address a dispute between the Forest Service and ski resorts that operate on Forest Service land. Unfortunately, yet again, House Republicans couldn’t resist using this local issue as a vehicle to attack other federal agencies—agencies that had no hand in the issue—instead of constructively working to reach a resolution.

As a result, this overreaching, partisan grab jeopardizes the recreational enjoyment and restoration of our federal lands and waterways, including our national parks, wildlife refuges, forests, estuaries, and rivers. SEEC Members led the charge to shield these community treasures from the bill’s harmful impacts, offering amendments to protect the Chesapeake Bay, Long Island Sound, Hudson River, Mohawk River, California Bay Delta, Delaware River, Narragansett Bay, Wood Pawcatuck River, Puget Sound, Olympic National Park, Alleghany National Forest, Lowell National Historical Park, and Minute Man National Park.

Unfortunately, Republicans refused to even allow a Floor vote to protect these vital areas. They then rejected an amendment from SEEC Vice-Chair Rep. Jared Polis (CO) that would have narrowed the scope of the bill to address the original concern. Once again, Republicans made it clear that they would prefer to pander to their allies and play party politics rather than working with us to find common-sense solutions that benefit the American people.

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