Extended Comment Period On Water Rules

Extended Comment Period On Water Rules

They say if you don’t vote on an issue, then you have no room to complain. I would tend to agree with that. This same thing can apply to public comment periods on major issues of concern - issues such as the EPA’s proposed definition for waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act. The proposed rule has come under fire from farmers, ranchers, landowners and other stakeholders who say the proposed changes would give the EPA the authority to regulate all waters on private property, including water run-off ditches, resulting in an infringement on individual property rights. On June 10 the EPA announced that it was extending the public comment period on its proposed water rules, which was originally set to end July 21, until October 20; giving interested stakeholders an additional 91 days in which to let their feelings be known. The comment period on the interpretive rule governing agricultural exemptions that was part of the Waters of the U.S. rule has also been extended to July 7. These public comment extensions are seen as a victory for farmers and ranchers, but that can only be true if farmers and ranchers take the time to write out their comments and submit them to the EPA before the new deadlines.

 
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