WASHINGTON (Sept. 12, 2019) – The Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers finalized the repeal of the 2015 WOTUS rule and restored the regulatory text that existed prior to the 2015 ruling. MSCA and NCBA fought the 2015 WOTUS rule in the courts, on Capitol Hill, and at the EPA.
Minnesota State
Cattlemen’s Association President and 2018 Environmental Stewardship Region III
Winner, Mike Landuyt issued the
following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's
finalization of repeal of the 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule:
“Farmers and Ranchers are the nation’s original
environmental stewards – we work hard to implement conservation practices to
protect our water resources. for future generations. The 2015 WOTUS Rule was an
illegal effort by the federal government to assert control over both land and
water, significantly impacting our ability to protect resources we depend
on."
The repeal of this ruling is due in large part to MSCA’s grassroots engagement. The MSCA wants to say thank you to every member who came to DC and/or voiced your concerns through a public meeting, call, or letter. This victory is a testament to the strength of America’s cattle industry. While the 2015 WOTUS rule is gone, the Supreme Court mandate still looms for the EPA to define “waters of the United States.” A practical definition that fulfills the intent of the Clean Water Act is necessary to provide clarity to landowners and prevent federal overreach in future administrations. Last December, the Trump Administration proposed a replacement that hues closer to the “navigable waters” that Congress wrote into the statute, while also honoring Supreme Court decisions that found certain other waterways required federal protection. EPA intends to finalize its replacement by the end of the year.
Find more information
on the waters of the U.S. rule making:
https://www.epa.gov/wotus-rule/definition-waters-united-states-recodification-pre-existing-rules-pre-publication-version
Posted: September 13, 2019
