New WOTUS
Farmers say new Clean Water Rule helps water quality.
Back in September, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler: ”Today, EPA and the Department of the Army finalized a rule to repeal the previous administration's overreach in the federal regulation of U.S. waters and recodify the longstanding and familiar regulatory text that previously existed. Today’s Step 1 action fulfills a key promise of President Trump and sets the stage for Step 2 -- a new WOTUS definition that will provide greater regulatory certainty for farmers, landowners, home builders, and developers nationwide.”
The Trump Administration replaced the Obama-era Waters of the U.S. Rule with the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. Ag groups are pleased with just how clear and easy to understand the new rule is compared to its predecessor. James Henderson is a Colorado farmer who says the previous WOTUS rule was an unprecedented attack on property rights. "As a farmer and rancher, one thing that I know in the West is our availability to divert water and to apply it as irrigated water in our fields is the only reason that we have a business. Waters of the United States would have put that in a tremendous amount of jeopardy. He says the new water protection rule makes it much simpler for farmers and ranchers to conduct their business.
