Final WOTUS Rule a Blow to Housing Affordability, NAHB Tells Congress
With the nation in the midst of a housing affordability crisis and an economy confronting high inflation, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) told Congress today that the Biden administration’s decision to push through a far-reaching waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule will needlessly raise housing costs, add unnecessary regulatory burdens to small businesses and harm economic growth while doing little to protect America’s waterways.
Testifying before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, NAHB Chairman Alicia Huey, a custom home builder and developer from Birmingham, Ala., said “the new WOTUS rule is so extreme that the federal government will have the authority to regulate certain roadside ditches, isolated ponds and channels that may only flow after heavy rainfall.”
The nation’s home builders are strong stewards of the environment and believe that common-sense best management practices and understandable regulations are the best path to achieving the goals of the Clean Water Act and maintaining housing affordability.
“Unfortunately, the final rule fails to provide the clarity and certainty the home building industry seeks,” said Huey. “This rule will increase federal regulatory power over private property and lead to increased litigation, permit requirements and lengthy delays for any business trying to comply. Equally important, these changes will not significantly improve water quality because much of the rule improperly encompasses water features already regulated at the state level.”