WOTUS

Congress recently held a hearing on the Waters of the U.S. or WOTUS rule and had the opportunity to hear from one Colorado farmer and President of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Kent Peppler about the impact of EPA's proposed rule.

PEPPLER: Water is critical to the livelihoods of family farms and ranches. The rule making process is designed to encourage conversation with and feedback from the regulated community. It is unreasonable to expect the proposed rule to get all the nuances precisely correct. Despite confusion over the rule the basic process is still in place. EPA issued a proposed rule, sought feedback from the agriculture community and fully expects to make changes acknowledging farmers and ranchers expertise and insights.

He says they have stressed the advantages of the rule and presented to EPA how to make the rule work for family farms.

PEPPLER: We believe EPA's efforts to define these regulations puts all farmers and ranchers on the same page rather than having guess what is or what is not allowed, project by project, permit by permit.

Peppler outlined four areas to be clarified including wetlands, strict limits on similar waters, groundwater connections and perennial flows definition.

PEPPLER: Right now family farmers are subject to a convoluted pair of Supreme Court decisions on a statue that has not been substantially revisited 1987. EPA and the Army Corps have had trouble applying the rules of the court rulings with consistency.

And that's Colorado Ag Today. I'm Greg Martin, thanks for listening on the Ag Information Network of the West.