Last week’s federal court ruling lifting a delay on the controversial, Obama-era Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule has drawn a swift rebuke by key farm groups. American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duval calls the South Carolina U.S. District Court ruling that upends a Trump EPA delay of WOTUS until 2020 while the agency rewrites WOTUS, “misguided.” Here is AFBF’s Paul Schlagle.
Ag Groups Respond to WOTUS Ruling-1
The Trump EPA could go back to court to appeal the injunction that now restores WOTUS in 26 states, or pursue quicker administrative action.
Ag Groups Respond to WOTUS Ruling-2
Twenty-four states are still protected from the WOTUS rule by two other federal court decisions. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association also weighed in on the latest developments, arguing the ruling “underscores the urgent need to finalize repeal” of the 2015 rule, that it charges the court has “brought back from the dead.” AFBF and a coalition of businesses intend to appeal the S.C. Federal court ruling.