WOTUS Rewrite
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. EPA chief Lee Zeldin has followed through on his commitment to give farmers and ranchers relief from years of burdensome "Waters of the U.S." rules upended by the Supreme Court in 2023.
Zeldin rewrote WOTUS to comply with the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA, that it covers only wetlands with a continuous surface connection to larger waters, and not ditches, ponds, and potholes …
ZELDIN … “So, I will make sure that I’m doing my part so that the EPA is honoring the decision of Sackett and any future laws to come out of Sackett. That is my commitment to you.”
Zeldin told lawmakers the EPA’s latest proposal would give farmers, ranchers, and others “predictability, consistency, and clarity” …
ZELDIN … “It is important that, when you’re going back to your home state, and you’re speaking to your farmers, that you are able to, with confidence, be able to explain to them that the federal government is doing our part, so that they can define what "Waters of the U.S." are, without having to go hire an attorney or someone else, and pay a lot of money to ensure compliance.”
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Chief Legal Counsel Mary Thomas Hart …
HART … “You’ve now dealt with 14 different regulatory iterations of a WOTUS definition. That is no way to manage a business. That is not a tool that anyone can use to effectively plan future land management decisions.”
Environmental groups see the EPA’s new rule as a rollback of Clean Water Act protections and vow further legal fights.
