News
Rural Affairs group says EPA rule is good
The Center for Rural Affairs says the proposed rule from the EPA and Corps of Engineers clarifying which waterways fall under the Clean Water Act is good for rural America.
But, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) says the rule is a vast overreach and will be detrimental to farmers and ranchers. Ashley McDonald, NCBA’s environmental counsel says, “You know, it’s very costly. It’s going to be very time consuming and it’s going to be a big headache for cattle producers across the country.”
John Crabtree is Media Director for the Center for Rural Affairs tells Brownfield Ag News, “I think the NCBA’s reaction is where the overreach is.”
Crabtree says the rule provides clarity and removes the confusion caused by Supreme Court rulings that were vague about which waterways were covered, “The water that falls on and crosses our land and feeds the rivers is crucial to agriculture but it’s also crucial to the people downstream that drink it. And, so, we have a shared responsibility and this rule helps everyone see what their role is and what their responsibility is.” Both groups urge people to submit comments on the rule – which will be open for public comment for 90 days.
Interview with John Crabtree (9:00 mp3)
Unless there’s someone influential to strongly encourage positive changes in the proposed rule, the EPA will just ram it down everyone’s throat. That’s EXACTLY what the USDA/APHIS did to pet breeders. They published a proposed rule that was horrendous and could affect small hobby breeders and interstate commerce negatively. They got THOUSANDS of GOOD inputs from EXPERTS as to what “unintended consequences” would be and how it should be changed. However, they listened to those who helped them write the rule (H$U$, et al), and implemented it anyway, with MINOR changes stated in teleconferences, but which are NOT in the rule (and guess what groups will sue to have the letter of the law enforced, NOT opinions on a conference call). That rule is currently being challenged in a lawsuit representing 19,000 dog and cat breeders (which is only a small percent of total dog and cat breeders in the U.S., mostly small breeders). For more on that egregious final rule and link to the lawsuit filed, go here: http://www.saova.org/APHIS_Rule_and_you.html