The chief environmental counsel for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says the EPA’s proposed clean water guidelines could have a devastating impact on America’s farmers and ranchers.
Tamara Thies accused the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers of making an end-run around two Supreme Court decisions that limited their authority under the Clean Water Act...
“The huge concern, of course, for farmers and ranchers is that we have puddles of water, and different types of water on our properties which aren’t necessarily navigable, which is what the standard is under the law for EPA regulation. but the EPA has figured out a way to require their staff throughout the country to regulate virtually every drop.”
Thies says the clean water guidelines and the EPA’s moves to tighten dust regulations are two more examples of what she calls the administration’s vast overreach...“I don’t know what the plan is over there, but I’ll tellyou that these rules that the EPA and Corp have come up with are just devastating for agriculture. You know, if we can’t work with water or dusty situations, I mean, what do they expect us to do?”
Also expressing concern with the clean water guidelines is the National Corn Growers Association. NCGA President Bart Schott (shot) says they’re concerned that the new proposal could expand EPA’s authority over isolated waters including ditches and farm ponds. He says they could lead to additional permitting requirements and make farmers more vulnerable to citizen action lawsuits.
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