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More efforts to stop water rule

More efforts are underway to try and stop the EPA’s Waters of the U.S. rule.

As the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture meets this week, North Dakota’s Ag Commissioner will submit an action item for approval by NASDA members calling for the withdrawal of the proposed rule, according to Politico.

The action item says the proposal does NOT clearly define jurisdictional waters and allows the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to regulate “any wet spot in the landscape.” It says the EPA needs to rework the rule in a way that heeds boundaries set by Congress and “in a manner that allows for state input.” Further, the commissioner says, the Interpretive Rule potentially provides regulatory authority to the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) where it doesn’t belong.

On Tuesday, the U.S. House passed a bill to prevent implementation of the rule by the EPA and the Corps.  According to DTN, thirteen of the Democrats who sided with Republicans on the bill are members of the House Ag Committee.