Iowa Attorney General
10/29/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/29/2024 13:16
Attorney General Bird Urges Supreme Court to Protect Farmers and Cities from Green Activist Lawsuits
DES MOINES-Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today led 24 other states in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to protect states' powers to regulate and ensure access to clean water.
At the Port of Tacoma, woke green activists sued to take regulatory power away from the states and give it to themselves. The same tactic could be used to sue farmers and cities-giving green activists the ability to impose burdensome mandates. One risk is that the activists may use these suits to weaponize Biden and Harris's radical Waters of the United States ("WOTUS") rule to try and enforce radical, point-source related regulations. Taxpayers will also be on the hook to pay for defending government in these politically charged lawsuits. The states are calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case and restore regulatory power to the States so that farmers and cities are not forced to choose between woke, costly mandates or defending from aggressive lawsuits.
"State and federal governments are already enforcing laws to keep people healthy and waters clean," said Attorney General Bird. "We must not allow unelected, green activists to weaponize lawsuits to force woke mandates, hurt farmers, or threaten cities that are working hard to keep drinking water clean."
In February 2023, Attorney General Bird sued to block the Biden-Harris administration's radical WOTUS mandate that drastically expands the power of the federal government, and won. The States' brief here challenges potential future weaponization of WOTUS.
The States urge the Supreme Court to reverse the lower court's ruling and uphold the Clean Water Act, which guarantees that states have the power to ensure clean water for their citizens.
Iowa led the amicus brief and was joined by Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Read the full amicus brief here.
###
For More Information:
Alyssa Brouillet | Communications Director
515-823-9112