WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Thom Tillis says he and other Senate Republicans are attempting to reel back environmental regulations he says have become unwieldy under President Barack Obama.

"Farmers are regulated to death," Tillis says. "They have more regulations heaped on them than virtually any other industry, plus all the complexities that come with being a farmer."

And the first-term senator from North Carolina says excessive regulation as a problem may not go away when Obama's term is up.

"The industry has to react to regulation so they may have to make long-term business decisions to be in compliance with the regulations," Tillis says. "Over time you may be able to reduce them but you may not be able to do it January 2017."

Tillis says he doubts a potential new Democratic president would be more pro-regulation than Obama but still feels he or she would be reluctant to reduce regulations.

"On the other hand, I think if we have a Republican elected then he or she is going to move very quickly to claw back these regulations we don't think add value."

Tillis says that regulations are necessary to have a healthy environment but says they must be practical and reasonable.

"We are all here to ensure that we have clean, abundant sources of water, clean air and safe food supplies," he says. "We don't believe that a lot of the regulations are necessary to achieve that."