Posted on August 11, 2014 by Stephen Bruckner
If you’ve been following the recent controversy surrounding the proposed rule regarding “waters of the United States” (referred to in some environmental and agricultural circles as “WOTUS”), you know the wave the EPA has created among opponents of the rule. In April 2014, the EPA and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (“Corps”) published a proposed rule defining the scope of waters protected by the Clean Water Act (“CWA”). Originally, the public comment period for the proposed rule ended July 21, 2014. That period was extended to October 20.
According to its opponents, a majority coming from agricultural interests in the nation’s Heartland, the proposed rule is a stealthy way to expand the EPA’s authority; a clear land grab epitomizing government overreach. According to the EPA, the purpose is to clarify the definition of navigable waters in light of U.S. Supreme Court decisions in U.S. v. Riverside Bayview Homes, Rapanos v. United States, and Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Although EPA explicitly stated that the proposed rule would not affect any exemptions to CWA Section 404 permitting requirements, which include normal farming and ranching activities, opponents think otherwise. Because of the expanded definition of navigable waters to include some waters that are merely connected to navigable waters, opponents worry landowners now will have new land covered by the CWA, forcing them to obtain permits under other provisions of the CWA for regular farming operations. Missouri farmer Andy Klay told Fox News he worries how long a permit might take. A day? A month? He and his wife created a parody video of the EPA to the tune of the popular song “Let it go” from Disney’s Frozen — “The EPA and the Corp. They will try, to justify! That’s enough, that’s enouuugh!”
Capturing the same sentiment, the American Farm Bureau Federation has launched a viral marketing campaign called “#DitchtheRule.” The campaign supplies talking points and pre-written messages for supporters of #DitchtheRule to share on Twitter. For example, the campaign has a pre-written tweet “Ditches and puddles are not navigable. #DitchtheRule.” In an attempt to set the record straight, the EPA has responded with a campaign called “DitchtheMyth.” The campaign responds directly to the #DitchtheRule allegations. EPA contends, for example, that the myth that the rule will regulate puddles is “not remotely true.” But the criticisms, or misconceptions, depending on your perspective, surrounding the rule are very real in the Heartland.
It remains to be seen how things will shake out when balancing the cost of increased regulation with the benefit of additional clarity in the rule. However, there clearly is a gap in communication and deep mistrust between the EPA and agricultural interests. Though some of the fear may be based in myth, folks in the Heartland want the EPA to tread lightly and take seriously the unintended consequences of the rule for farmers and ranchers. Either way, the rule’s polarizing effect has already caught the attention of lawmakers. According to The Hill, more than 260 members of Congress, spanning both parties, have opposed the rule.
For more background, see: Weighing in on the Waters of the U.S. rule: an update
Tags: Clean Water Act, Waters of the United States, #DitchtheRule