Business owners around the country have joined farmers and ranchers in speaking out on the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. More than 30 states also oppose the rule. Yet, even in the face of mounting opposition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) still isn’t listening, reports Drovers CattleNetwork.
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy has unveiled her latest, campaign-style WOTUS spin, calling the effort the “Clean Water Rule.” EPA claims that it’s simplifying regulations and making them easier to follow, but the fine print tells another story.
“Anyone who’s been out on farmland knows that water collects in spots that aren’t regular water sources for anything else, let alone major streams and rivers. The WOTUS rule could consider these spots to be just like a large body of water,” declared American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman in a statement.
“Farmers and ranchers know the importance of clean water. They depend on it for their livelihoods. Their biggest objection to WOTUS is not about clean water. It’s about land,” Stallman said.