Pirate's Cove

At least temporarily

U.S. judge blocks Biden clean water rule in 24 states

A federal judge in North Dakota on Wednesday temporarily blocked implementation of a Biden administration rule establishing protections for seasonal streams and wetlands in 24 states, according to court documents.

U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland granted the states’ request for a preliminary injunction prohibiting enforcement of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waters of the United States rule, which was finalized in December.

In the order, Hovland said the states would “expend unrecoverable resources complying with a rule unlikely to withstand judicial scrutiny.”

The rule protects waterways that have a “significant nexus” to navigable U.S. waters – a standard that ranchers, developers and other industry groups have said is overly broad and creates burdensome permitting and regulatory hurdles.

West Virginia and 23 other Republican-led states sued the EPA and other federal agencies in February, alleging the rule violates the U.S. Constitution and sows confusion for landowners.

Basically, as I’ve noted before, this rule would give the federal government unbelievable power over the private property of citizens. I actually have a great idea: let’s implement the rule in the Blue states that are not opposing the rule, see how that goes. See if they enjoy it. They would have no problem with Los Federales telling them what they can and cannot do with their properties because of a season stream, a stream that only appears when it rains, or a little pond out back, right? Having to go through the federal permitting process if they want to do anything, get an EPA statement, and so forth, right?

Meanwhile, Brandon took a long, fossil fueled flight, with backup jets, fighter jets for escorts, and a large fossil fueled motorcade, to say in front of the Irish parliament

BIDEN: "The SINGLE existential threat to the world is climate change!" pic.twitter.com/U7jFVobzw1

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 13, 2023