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Appeals Court Suspends WOTUS Implementation

Cindy Zimmerman

A new ruling issued today by a federal appeals court places a nationwide stay on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water Rule, better known as Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS). The court agreed with petitioners that the treatment in the rule of tributaries, “adjacent waters,” and waters having a “significant nexus” to navigable waters is at odds with a previous …

AFBF, EPA

Ag Groups React to EPA Farmworker Standards Update

John Davis

Ag groups are reacting to the Environmental Protection Agency’s final revisions to the Worker Protection Standard. The American Farm Bureau Federation worries the government is getting away from a science-based approach in guarding against risk. “Farm Bureau shares the agency’s desire to protect workers, but we are concerned that the agency is piling regulatory costs on farmers and ranchers that …

AFBF, ARA, EPA, Farming, labor

Senator Roberts Happy About WOTUS Decision

John Davis

A federal judge has put the brakes on the controversial “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule in several states, and that has gained praise from the chairman of the Senate Ag Committee. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) welcomed the preliminary injunction to stop the WOTUS rule in North Dakota, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming …

Agribusiness, EPA, politics, Water

Judge Blocks WOTUS

Cindy Zimmerman

The day before the controversial rule formally known as the Waters of the US (WOTUS) was to be implemented, a federal judge in North Dakota has blocked it from taking effect. U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson of North Dakota on Thursday issued a preliminary injunction against implementation of the Clean Water regulation, saying a group of 13 states was likely …

EPA, Water

MO Farm Bureau Takes WOTUS to the Fair Again

Cindy Zimmerman

You might remember that Missouri Farm Bureau held a “Ditch the Rule” press conference last year at the State Fair featuring three members of the state’s Congressional delegation. With the controversial rule now finalized and scheduled to be implemented August 28, MOFB held another press conference at the fair last week – this time with four members of Congress. Representatives …

AFBF, Audio, EPA, Water

Farm Bureau: EPA Massively Increasing Its Authority

John Davis

New maps released by Farm Bureau shows the federal government is massively increasing its authority at the cost of American producers. This news release from the group says the Environmental Protection Agency will radically expand its jurisdiction over land use if its controversial Waters of the United States rule takes effect as expected Aug. 28. That expansion comes even as …

AFBF, Ag Groups, EPA, Water

Prez Candidate Rand Paul: Stop EPA Farmland Grab

Joanna Schroeder

Republican Presidential Candidate and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is kicking off his first Iowa radio campaign ad “decrying the Obama Administration’s land grab of Iowa farmland”. The radio ad will be heard on farm radio stations. The ad is focused on the Waters of the US legislation and highlights the devastating consequences of the new regulation. “In Washington, DC, President …

Agribusiness, Environment, EPA, Precision Agriculture, Water

AFBF: Secrecy, Misconduct at EPA on WOTUS

John Davis

A series of memos the Obama Administration intended to keep private shows a culture of secrecy, falsehood and dysfunction that permeated the Waters of the U.S. rulemaking process. The American Farm Bureau charges the Army Corps of Engineers memos show the Corps “repeatedly rebuked EPA officials for their abuse of the rulemaking process in producing the deeply controversial Waters of …

AFBF, Ag Groups, Environment, EPA, Water