{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/first-listening-session-on-wotus-held-by-cramer-trump-administration-in-bismarck", "First Listening Session on WOTUS Held by Cramer, Trump Administration in Bismarck", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ND", "Kevin Cramer", "C001096", "www.cramer.senate.gov", "cramer", "https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "BISMARCK, N.D. \u2013 Not even a Midwest winter storm could keep concerned landowners, developers, farmers, and ranchers from making their voices heard as U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) hosted key Trump administration officials at the first national Waters of the United States (WOTUS) listening session.\n\nCramer, chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, welcomed state, local, and federal officials to North Dakota\u2019s Capital City for the event. Held in Bismarck State College\u2019s light-filled Frank Bavendick Stateroom overlooking the scenic Missouri River, the listening session provided an opportunity for stakeholders to provide input on the new rule to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials. The WOTUS rule was announced last month and the EPA and the Army Corps described it as \u201ca clear, durable, common-sense definition of WOTUS.\u201d\n\n\u201cThank you to the EPA and to the Army Corps for making this the very first WOTUS listening session on the new rule,\u201d said Cramer. \u201cWe are in the heart here of the prairie pothole region and our hydrology has vaulted North Dakota to this leadership role on WOTUS. We know the issue really well. The Clean Water Act abides by the tenets of cooperative federalism by recognizing the responsibility of the states to address water pollution and states are tasked with primacy. Past administrations have completely ignored states\u2019 rights. We are going to get this rule right. This is the legal prescription of clarity we\u2019ve needed for years, and I'm grateful that the Trump administration, unlike the Biden administration, crafted a rule within the confines of the law. Farmers, developers, and landowners shouldn\u2019t need to hire expensive consultants to determine [jurisdictional waters]. Any definition of WOTUS must not impact state's primary authority over their water. And I look forward to working on this rule, and making it a durable one that will stand the test of time, and one that the Supreme Court doesn't have to fix for us every few years.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am honored to join Senator Cramer and other leaders from North Dakota for the first national public listening session to gather input on our proposed definition of waters of the United States,\u201d said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer. \u201cThis rule would fully implement the clear direction provided by the U.S. Supreme Court in Sackett v. EPA and reduce red tape to accelerate economic prosperity while protecting water quality under the Clean Water Act and state authorities. As someone who grew up in rural Wisconsin, I am excited to hear local perspectives as EPA and Army work to finalize a clear and durable definition of WOTUS that will benefit North Dakotans, including farmers, ranchers, energy producers, developers, and landowners.\u201d\n\nThe proposed rule makes important clarifications to align WOTUS with the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Sackett v. EPA, rightsizing federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Specifically, it defines critical terms like \u201crelatively permanent,\u201d \u201ccontinuous surface connection\u201d and \u201ctributary\u201d to prevent future administrations from implementing expansive definitions. Prior WOTUS rules assumed authority outside the intent of the CWA, unnecessarily complicating the process of determining whether a water qualified as a WOTUS. The Trump administration\u2019s proposed WOTUS rule would provide needed clarity, reinforce state\u2019s rights, and adhere to the Sackett decision while still protecting water quality.\n\nToday\u2019s listening session is part of the EPA and Army Corps\u2019 public outreach as the administration gathers input from stakeholders across the country ahead of the rule\u2019s finalization. Cramer, EPA, and the Army Corps encourage the public to make their voices heard by participating in listening sessions and submitting public comments. The WOTUS rulemaking public comment page can be found here; the public comment period ends on Jan. 5.\n\nCramer and the Trump administration have actively worked to provide WOTUS certainty. In March, Cramer joined EPA for its announcement of WOTUS guidance to assist landowners as it began the rulemaking process. At the event, he highlighted North Dakota farmers, ranchers, and landowners who \u201chave always managed their water with the same respect as their land.\u201d\n\nAt his confirmation hearing before EPW, Cramer questioned Administrator Lee Zeldin on the role of cooperative federalism and the prescriptiveness of the Sackett decision. During the Biden administration, Cramer repeatedly questioned witnesses at EPW hearings on the Biden WOTUS rule.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/first-listening-session-on-wotus-held-by-cramer-trump-administration-in-bismarck"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4347182586789131, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}