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Oklahoma cattle official blasts EPA’s water rule

Region Six EPA officials traveled to Oklahoma to discuss the agency’s Clean Water Act rule with that state’s ag industry leaders. But their visit did nothing to change the opinion of Richard Gebhart, president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association.

“I’ve studied this rule at least three or four times and I cannot imagine a piece of land in the United States of America that’s involved in agriculture that will not be regulated by this rule,” Gebhart says.

Gebhart, who holds a law degree, takes issue with EPA administrator Gina McCarthy’s claim that the EPA is not out to regulate ditches.

“She and I must be reading two different documents,” he says, “because it’s clear to me, if a ditch drains anything and gets into a stream or anything else, it is regulated.”

Gebhart calls the rule “a dream come true for litigators”.

“If this rule gets through and Congress is unable to rein this rule in, then we are going to be in the courts—and the ones who are going to win with this are going to be the lawyers that are arguing both sides.”

Gebhart also serves as treasurer of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. He urges cattlemen to submit their comments on the water rule at beefusa.org.