The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Army managed to yet further muddy the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) this week by announcing a final rule amending the 2023 definition of “waters of the United States” to conform with the recent Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. EPA.

The agencies are committed to following the law and implementing the Clean Water Act to deliver the essential protections that safeguard the nation’s waters from pollution and degradation. This action provides the clarity that is needed to advance these goals, while moving forward with infrastructure projects, economic opportunities, and agricultural activities.

Among the many farm organizations expressing disappointment in the ruling this week was the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). “The agency failed to open the process to public comment and engagement, which would have been extremely valuable,” said NCGA President Tom Haag. “Instead, the agency has released a rule that does not fully respect the holdings from the recent U.S. Supreme Court case on WOTUS.”

Listen to Haag’s comments from the Farm Progress Show in this interview:
2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Tom Haag, NCGA president 3:50