NCBA Statement On New WOTUS Rule
(NCBA/WASHINGTON/December 30, 2022) — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) issued the following statement on the Biden administration’s finalized Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule.
“For too long, farmers and ranchers have dealt with the whiplash of shifting WOTUS definitions. Today, the Biden administration sought to finalize a WOTUS definition that will protect both our nation’s water supply and cattle producers across the nation.” said NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart. “While the rule retains longstanding, bipartisan WOTUS exclusions for certain agricultural features, it creates new uncertainty for farmers, ranchers, and landowners across the nation.”
NCBA previously called for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to retain agricultural exclusions for small, isolated, and temporary water features that commonly appear on farms and ranches. These exclusions have broad support and were included in WOTUS rules under both Republican and Democratic administrations. The rule fails to clearly exempt isolated and ephemeral features from federal jurisdiction and relies on “case-by-case” determinations to assess whether a feature is federally regulated. Today’s rule is a far cry from the regulatory certainty provided by the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, creating a significant and costly burden for agricultural producers.
“The timing of this rule could not be worse,” added Hart. “The Supreme Court is currently considering Sackett v. EPA, which will provide much-needed clarity related to the WOTUS definition. Today’s final rule seeks to directly preempt ongoing Supreme Court litigation, leaving farmers and ranchers with more questions than answers.
New Water Rule Will Create More Confusion for Farmers
(AFBF/WASHINGTON, December 30, 2022) — American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on EPA’s issuance of yet another Waters of the United States Rule, which will replace the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.
“AFBF is extremely disappointed in the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers’ new Waters of the United States Rule. Farmers and ranchers share the goal of protecting the nation’s waterways, but they deserve rules that don’t require a team of attorneys and consultants to identify ‘navigable waters’ on their land. EPA has doubled down on the old significant nexus test, creating more complicated regulations that will impose a quagmire of regulatory uncertainty on large areas of private farmland miles from the nearest navigable water.
“Even more puzzling is the administration’s insistence on moving forward with a new rule while the Supreme Court is about to issue a decision on the scope of the Clean Water Act. A ruling in the Sackett case could send WOTUS back to the drawing board, so it makes no sense for EPA to issue a rule that will only cause more disruption and uncertainty.
“We appreciate the agencies’ attempt to provide needed clarifications of the prior converted cropland exclusion and exemptions for irrigation ditches and stock ponds, but the overall rule is still unworkable for America’s farm families. The back and forth over water regulations threatens the progress made to responsibly manage natural resources and will make it more difficult for farmers and ranchers to ensure food security for families at home and abroad.”
New Water Rule Increases Confusion, Lacks Clarity
(WAC/WASHINGTON/December 19, 2022) — The Waters Advocacy Coalition, which includes nearly 50 organizations representing agriculture, energy, infrastructure, construction and real estate, manufacturing, mining, specialty pesticides, state departments of agriculture, and many other job creators, is extremely disappointed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s and Army Corps of Engineers’ final Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.
The regulated community and many states have called for a rule that provides the clarity and certainty essential for predictable and efficient permitting. Unfortunately, the agencies failed to pay attention to the input they received during their public comment process, as well as their regional roundtables on the proposed rulemaking. Instead, the rule’s reliance on vague terms will make it very difficult for any business or individual trying to comply with the Clean Water Act (CWA)— let alone the many small businesses that we represent.
In addition, the new rule comes at a time when the Supreme Court is weighing the scope of the CWA in the case of Sackett v. EPA. A ruling in the Sackett case could negate (or render irrelevant) significant elements of this WOTUS rule, which will create even more confusion for landowners and businesses throughout the country.
WAC members work to protect and steward water resources, and a clear, efficient definition of WOTUS would enable us to continue to do so. Regrettably, EPA’s new water rule not only makes these efforts more difficult, it also puts sorely needed infrastructure projects at risk and threatens to make food, housing, and energy even more expensive for America’s families.