Colorado Gov. Jared Polis had one more reason to clash with President Trump on Thursday, accusing the commander in chief of seeking to “gut” federal clean water laws.

“In Colorado, we value our clean water,” Polis said in a statement released by his office. “Our rivers, streams, and lakes serve as the lifeblood of our communities and help support our thriving outdoor and agriculture industries.

“Our administration will continue to reject attempts by the Trump administration to gut proven ways to protect our health and environment.”

Polis, a former Democratic congressman from Boulder, has split with the Republican president on an array of environmental issues, as well as those Trump policies and statements governing immigration and trade. 

Gutting the water rules was the characterization applied by the governor’s office as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to reduce pollution rules for rivers, streams and wetlands.

The proposal has been sought by those in the agricultural, construction and mining industries who see the rules as burdensome, costly and unnecessary.

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler made the official announcement Thursday in Las Vegas, at the National Association of Home Builders International Builders’ Show, after signaling the repeal of the 5-year-old Obama administration protections in September.

The Obama executive action broadened the definition and protections of “waters of the United States,” to apply to about 60% of U.S. waterways. 

A developer in his personal occupation, Trump has called the regulation “ridiculous.”

“That was a rule that basically took your property away from you,” he said Sunday in a speech to the American Farm Bureau Federation at its annual gathering in Austin, Texas,. “As long as I’m president, government will never micromanage America’s farmers.”

The EPA put out a press release Thursday night saying criticism reported in the media Thursday had it all wrong and called out what it said were offenders in the press by name. The EPA provided a list of quotes praising the president and his administration from Republican congressional members, including Colorado Reps. Scott Tipton and Doug Lamborn, as well as industry groups.

“The uncertain interpretation of the term ‘navigable waters’ created by WOTUS has left farmers, ranchers and private land owners unprotected from federal land and water grabs,” Tipton stated. “Over the last three years, President Trump’s administration has worked to repeal unnecessary and burdensome regulations with updated versions that better suit the needs of our agricultural communities. I welcome this latest clarification of the term that will restore long-standing states’ water rights and greater certainty for the Coloradans whose livelihoods depend on availability of water.”

Lamborn said in the release that he applauded the president Trump and EPA administrator”or listening to our farmers and ranchers and acting to repeal the flawed Obama-era Waters of the United States rule and appropriately redefining Waters of the United States.

Lamborn continued, “The new Navigable Waters Protection Rule will provide clarity and regulatory certainty to farmers, landowners, home builders, and developers in Colorado and throughout the nation by clearly defining the difference between federally regulated waterways and those waters that rightfully remain solely under state authority. This action restores the federal-state partnership that Congress originally intended under the Clean Water Act and returns jurisdiction to State and local authorities, who are better able to manage their own waters.”