A new report from economist Dr. David Sundig finds the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) analysis of its proposed “Waters of the U.S.” to be flawed. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the proposed rule is “rife with errors, lacks transparency and would greatly expand strict federal control over land that was previously not regulated by the federal government.”
The proposed EPA rule Sundig analyzed was published on the EPA’s website in late March. It proposes the removal of the word “navigable” from the Clean Water Act, giving the EPA broader regulatory authority over the “waters of the U.S.”
AFBF believes the change to the Clean Water Act allows the EPA to regulate waters like small, isolated wetlands, ephemeral drains and ditches.
Sundig, who is also a faculty member at the University of California-Berkley, states in his report that the EPA systemically underestimates the impact the changes to the Clean Water Act will have on affected businesses and communities.
“The EPA’s proposed waters of the U.S. rule is irreparably flawed from an economic standpoint,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. “The rule is also an end run around Congress and two Supreme Court rulings, and in their official comments, farmers and ranchers across the nation are calling on EPA to ditch the rule.”
AFBF has launched a “Ditch the Rule” campaign encouraging farmers, ranchers, landowners and business people to contact their legislators to let them know how they feel about the proposed rule. The farm organization is also encouraging its members to comment on the proposal during the open comment period.
Additional information about “Ditch the Rule” campaign and the EPA’s proposal can be found at http://ditchtherule.fb.org.