Sun, 01 Jan 2023 14:37:23 CST
Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur released the following statement in response to the announcement of the EPA’s Final Rule on WOTUS released by the Biden Administration on Friday, December 30th:
In a year that’s seen Oklahoma agriculture negatively impacted by supply chain complications, inflation, drought, labor challenges, and transportation issues, constantly changing regulation by the EPA and their counterparts in federal agencies is concerning.
EPA’s newly announced WOTUS rule makes it unclear if the federal government will regulate water resources located on farmland and other private property. That uncertainty will only impede the ability of Oklahomans to do their jobs.
Further, the timing of this announcement coincides with the Supreme Court currently considering a case that will provide much-needed clarity related to the WOTUS definition. EPA has chosen to make their own ruling ahead of the SCOTUS decision, which may lead to yet another rule change in the near future. We believe this illustrates a lack of regard for those that are doing the work to feed our nation and world.
Details about the Biden Administration Final Rule on WOTUS is available here.
