WOTUS

The comment period on EPA’s new Waters of the U.S. Rule will close in early 2026. The proposed rule would give the farming industry more clarity on what constitutes a water of the U.S.

The past year had many ups and downs for farm country, not only here in the Northwest but nationwide.

Last week, the House passed the PERMIT Act, as an effort to streamline permitting under the Clean Water Act and ease the regulatory burden on agriculture.

Kansas Congressman Tracey Mann said the long-running debate over “Waters of the United States” may finally be nearing an end.

Last week, the Administration released a new Waters of the U.S. rule proposal. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said the new rule could provide needed clarity for America’s farmers.

The Trump administration is expected to soon propose a new Clean Water Act rule that could eliminate federal protections for many wetlands across the U.S.

WOUTS hearings have wrapped up, and the Trump Administration hopes to have a new rule in place by the end of the year.

While a Waters of the United States Rule is in place, there may still be questions about the farm sector goes from here.   “We have a WOTUS rule in place. After a 2023 unanimous Supreme Court decision, the Biden administration had to kind of take their rule back to the drawing board and rewrite it to comply with this new WOTUS standard," said Mary-Thomas Hart chief counsel for the National Ca

The American Farm Bureau Federation is asking the EPA for changes to the Waters of the U.S. Rule.  David Schilling, AFBF public policy counsel, said the group wants the rule brought in line with the Sackett v. EPA Supreme Court ruling.   “...

Earlier this week, the Environmental Protection Agency announced moves to begin to clarify the Waters of the U.S. rule .  Courtney Briggs, senior director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, says this is good news for farm country.   “...