The Biden administration says that it intends to reverse the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.
This was the Trump era re-write of the Waters of the U.S. rule which gained support from farmers and ranchers. However, Biden’s EPA Administrator says that it significantly reduces clean water protections. His agency and the U.S. Army will create what they call a “durable definition” based on Supreme Court precedent.
Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas stated that the decision is disappointing, to say the least.
“Here we go! It’s going to drive up the cost of doing business for my farmers and ranchers. The story I try to share up here is, I remember growing up, my grandfathers making terraces for soil conservation and now the federal government wants to regulate the water that runs off those terraces. I’m just afraid that the regulators and I’m afraid that the White House doesn’t understand the significance of this. It’s going to drive up the cost of doing business, and that cost is eventually going to be passed on to consumers, even contributing more to inflation,” the Senator stated.
American Farm Bureau President, Zippy Duvall also called the announcement disappointing: “Administrator Regan recently recognized the flaws in the 2015 Waters of the U.S. Rule and pledged not to return to those overreaching regulations. We are deeply concerned that the EPA plans to reverse the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which puts the future of responsible protections at risk.”
Related:
NCBA is defending the Navigable Waters Protection Rule
NCBA on WOTUS win in circuit court decision
Sen. Grassley on the outlook of WOTUS under Biden administration
What will happen with WOTUS under the Biden administration