Did you ever think that the federal government would be able to regulate the water in your backyard?

Well, welcome to the world of the U.S. Congress. Some of the new leaders in Congress are actually pushing legislation to give federal agencies the ability -- literally -- to come into your back yard and tell you what you can and can't do with ground that is periodically wet.

I'm not kidding. A Congressman named James Oberstar from Minnesota is pushing a bill called the "Clean Water Authority Restoration Act" (H.R. 2421) and is trying to move this bill quietly towards passage in the House of Representatives. A bill in the U.S. Senate already has won the support of more than one-fifth of the Senate.

Tell your Congressman right now that you do not want the federal government regulating your property!

This bill would amend the 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act by substituting all 'waters of the United States' for 'navigable waters.' According to new bill, waters would include wetlands, intermittent streams, prairie potholes, sloughs, meadows, playa lakes, mudflats, sand flats, natural ponds and more. The bill also applies to 'activities affecting these waters'. For more information on the bill, go here.

Take action now! Your Congressman needs to hear from you about this dangerous legislation!

This bill, if passed, would give the federal government jurisdiction over all waters of the United States, which has made many communities and local government officials very worried. This is a clear threat to private landowners’ rights. Giving federal bureaucrats in Waashington broad jurisdiction over ALL waters of the U.S. would paralyze local governments and take away local control and input when it comes to making decisions about water and any activity that would affect water in your community.

We need to stop the Congress from passing this legislation. We do not need the government regulating in our backyards and violating our property rights!

Go here and spend 60 seconds to make your voice heard!

Thank you for your help on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Jim Sims
Partnership for the West
and Partnership for America
350 Indiana Street, Suite 640
Golden, CO 80401
p: 303-278-4666
f: 303-496-0334
jsims@partnershipforamerica.org www.partnershipforamerica.org