04/25/08 Navigating proposed Clean Water Act change

Farm and Ranch April 25, 2008 Agricultural interests and others fear legislation in Congress that would remove the word "navigable" from the Clean Water Act would open up a flood of federal regulation. Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission, who was in Washington D.C. this week working on the issue, explains what the proposed Water Restoration Act would do. Voigt: "What they are essentially doing is changing the definition of which waters will be regulated. So currently it is navigable waters, rivers, lakes, streams. But they want to change it to all waters. This has broad ramifications. You know, all of the sudden instead of just navigable waters we are going to be looking at things like irrigation ponds, potentially swimming pools, ditches, any type of wet area that puddles. There is no real definition of what "all waters" is. So it is very concerning to not only people in agriculture but in all sorts of different types of businesses and occupations." A Washington State Potato Commissioner recently testified before a House committee on the bill. Voigt believes the bills sponsor in the House, Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, recognizes that "waters of the United States" is too broad a term. Voigt: "It seems that a lot of Republicans and Democrats are interested in working with the chairman on potential amendments or new wording that would be acceptable to everybody." And Voigt says they will be following those developments. That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.