OIA Alert: Congress eyes anti-landowner bills

[Oregonians In Action Press Release]
When Congress reconvenes this month, they will be considering a bill that could have tremendous impacts on Oregon property owners.

H.R. 2421 would amend the federal Clean Water Act by expanding the federal government’s jurisdiction to all waters of the United States, rather than simply those waters that are navigable. The Army Corps of Engineers would suddenly have authority to regulate land uses on virtually every acre of land in the United States. If you think state land controls are bad enough, wait until the feds take over.

H.R. 2421 would override recent decisions of the United States Supreme Court that imposed sensible limits on the Clean Water Act, ensuring that intent of Congress is respected without overriding the ability of state and local governments to monitor land use in their own states. The bill is sponsored by nearly every large environmental group, from the League of Conservation Voters to the Sierra Club.

Your representative in Congress needs to hear from you about this bill. If you aren’t sure who your Congressional representative is, you can look them up by entering your address at the following website:

http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/

Please telephone, fax, and email immediately. This is an important bill that isn’t going to receive much press attention.

Dave Hunnicutt
President
Oregonians In Action
(503) 620-0258