Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) has unveiled legislation to help bring decisions over lake management to the people and away from unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. Her bill gives states the chance to opt out of regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) except for power generation supervision.

“FERC’s threat to force the tearing down of homes and businesses at Lake of the Ozarks highlighted the dangers of an out-of-control federal government overstepping its bounds,” said Hartzler. “FERC’s attention should be focused on power generation. Homeowners and businesses at Lake of the Ozarks and other shoreline communities across the country should not live in fear of Big Government ordering the destruction of their homes and businesses.”

“My bill will allow the locally elected representatives of the people in the Missouri General Assembly to give people at the local level control over such things as recreational use on lakes,” continued Hartzler. “Each state could decide for itself whether it wanted shorelines to be controlled locally or from Washington, D.C. It’s about returning the power to the people.”

“The unacceptable situation at Lake of the Ozarks and in a number of other locations across the country in which FERC has ordered the homes and businesses of private citizens to be torn down or has interfered with local management of the lakes makes no sense to me,” added Hartzler. “We value private property rights in America and it is wrong for the federal government to target homes, businesses, and docks for destruction.”

Her office told the Sun when asked if this would potentially permit development on Lake Stockton and Lake Truman, “This legislation applies to all lakes under the jurisdiction of the Federal Power Act and currently regulated by FERC. In essence, the Legislature would be permitted to opt-out of the FERC rules.”

Vicky Hartzler represents Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District, which encompasses most of Lake of the Ozarks. She serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.