Statement from NAHB Chairman Jerry Konter on WOTUS Lawsuit

Jerry Konter, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder and developer from Savannah, Ga., today issued the following statement after NAHB and 17 other housing, agricultural and infrastructure organizations filed a joint lawsuit in the Federal District Court in the Southern District of Texas challenging the new waters of the United States rule:

“Home builders, farmers and landowners believe it is important to protect our nation’s waterways. Unfortunately, the new waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ignores the intent of Congress by dramatically expanding the Clean Water Act’s reach beyond rivers, lakes and streams to potentially capturing small ponds, ditches and erosional features that only carry flow following a major rainfall.

“By vastly increasing federal regulatory control over private property, the new WOTUS rule needlessly increases housing costs. Because the agencies have failed to craft a balanced rule, we have filed this lawsuit to seek a common-sense approach that will protect America’s waterbodies while also promoting job growth, economic development and housing.”