EPA Releases Final WOTUS Rule

Yesterday the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers released their final Waters of the U.S. Rule. Public Lands Council Executive Director Dustin Van Liew says that it is clear that agency did not take into consideration the ag industry’s concerns and the ambiguity still exists as to how far the government can reach onto private property and into farming and ranching operations through this rule.
Van Liew: “The continued expansion of the Clean Water Act jurisdiction through this rule is unacceptable to the ranching community. The EPA has failed in both process and developing and finalizing this rule. And also, in our view, beyond their legal limits in drafting and finalizing this rule. We are looking at all options from Congress to the legal releam to put a stop to this rule to protect our nation’s ranchers.”
Speaking of Congress, the House overwhelmingly passed a bill that would force EPA and the Corp to pull this regulation and work with states and local stakeholders to develop a new set of recommendations. Van Liew gives an update of where that legislation is in the Senate
Van Liew: “It is unclear at this time when the Senate will make time on the floor — although we continue to urge them. Certainly now that the EPA has released the final rule and NOT made significant change from the proposed rule hopefully that will get Congress activated in passing this law to pass down this flawed rule.”