Agricultural News
Remembering OK Cattleman Richard Gebhart, Celebrating His Fight Against WOTUS and Its Repeal
Wed, 28 Jun 2017 11:30:31 CDT
Time and time again, then candidate Donald Trump, spoke on the campaign trail calling for the reigning in of government overreach. The Environmental Protection Agency's proposed Waters of the United States rule became the posterchild for this type of governmental abuse of power. None more passionate than Oklahoma cattleman and industry leader, Richard Gebhart, voiced the argument against WOTUS. We lost Gebhart in 2015, but this week we remember him and his efforts to fight the good fight. The battle he fought was not in vain, either, as yesterday EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, and Okie himself, filed a new rule to repeal and replace WOTUS, once and for all. Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays takes a look into the archives today, revisiting some past conversations with Gebhart about the WOTUS rule he fought to protect farmers and ranchers from.
"I've read this rule multiple times and I cannot believe how shocked I am by the overreach of this rule," Gebhart said in a past interview. "EPA consistently tells us in our conversations with them that is not their intent, to regulate all lands. But when I read this rule, I see no way out of it."
Gebhart recalled his army training as an infantry officer, where he learned to identify the differences in terrain. All types of terrain he says, aside from a 'depression' drain water.
"In my legal opinion, they're all within the reach of this rule, because no matter where they drain, they're going to drain into something else," he said. "I've spent hours with attorneys talking about the difference between gullies, draws and valleys. That's how ridiculous this rule is written.
Gebhart's disdain for this rule was no secret by any means. His leadership and foresight helped to eventually bring, what he called a blatant land grab by the government, to its end. You can listen back with Farm Director Ron Hays, as he revisits his past interactions with Gebhart, talking about the WOTUS rule, on today's Beef Buzz.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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