Earlier today, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps released their final rule defining “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act, following interagency review. 

Arkansas Farm Bureau President Randy Veach reacted to the ruling with this statement:

"Based on our earliest review of the 299-page WOTUS ruling from EPA, we are disappointed in what we see. It doesn’t appear EPA addressed many of the concerns we raised in the comment period. 

"Farmers and ranchers are the strongest stewards of the land, and we do not believe it should be EPA’s place to take jurisdictional authority of basically every body of water in every county and state. 

"It is our belief that an issue this important should be resolved by Congress, the men and women elected to make decisions like this after getting valuable input from local and state stakeholders. EPA’s efforts on this issue reflect agency bureaucracy run amok." 

Farm Bureau continues to support S. 1140, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, which requires EPA to withdraw the rule and to adhere to limiting principles to ensure any new proposal conforms to the jurisdictional limits set by Congress and affirmed by the Supreme Court.  


Click here for WOTUS ruling from EPA