Join Citizens Who Oppose The Feds' Latest Power Grab  Over Local Water Resources Dear Colleague:  Take Action Here The U.S. Congress is about to vote to take away from state and local authorities authority to manage the most precious natural resource in the nation: water. I hope you will add your name to the rapidly growing list of state leaders across America who oppose this breathtaking power grab by the feds. The legislation in question is the innocently named "Clean Water Restoration Act." If enacted, it would give federal agencies direct jurisdiction over even occasionally wet patches of ground in every state in the nation. U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair James Oberstar (D-MN) and Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) are advancing these bills as they did last year. They would: Dramatically expand the reach of the federal bureaucracy over virtually all water resources at the expense of state and local government leaders. � Undermine the current collaborative approach by federal agencies, states, local officials, tribes and industry in protecting clean water supplies under the Clean Water Act and related conservation programs.  � Give the federal government unprecedented veto power over local land use decisions.  � Spark an avalanche of new unfunded mandates on state and local governments.  � Erode the flexibility of state and local entities to manage their own water resources.  � Make it more costly to grow crops, provide water to cities, operate and maintain water storage and delivery facilities, produce energy (including renewable power), build and maintain public transportation systems, deliver affordable goods and services to consumers, and carry out virtually any activity that occurs on the land without federal agencies constantly threatening to interfere. For more details on the threats this proposal poses to America, go here. Citizens from across the nation are adding their names to a bipartisan petition in opposition to this legislation. Will you consider joining them? You can view that petition here. Thank you in advance for reviewing this issue and to joining the growing tide of opposition to the dangerous and unnecessary federal bill. Sincerely, James Sims President & CEO Western Business Roundtable

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