Farm Bureau seeks legislation to remedy flaws in WOTUS bill

The American Farm Bureau joined 54 other organizations in writing a letter to 11 senators about the flaws in the final draft of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.

The 11 senators who received the letter are Angus King Jr. (I-ME); Bill Nelson (D-FL); Tim Kaine (D-VA); Mark Warner (D-VA); Dianne Feinstein (D-CA); Brian Schatz (D-HI); Chris Coons (D-DE); Tom Carper (D-DE); John Tester (D-MT); Michael Bennet (D-CO); and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). These senators forwarded the letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers for help in implementing the WOTUS rule.

Senators voted against more debate on the Federal Water Quality Protection Act (S. 1140) which would make the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers disregard their version of the Clean Water Act in favor of a new rule, forcing them to address concerns of farmers and ranchers.

Part of the letter, which was drafted the same day the Senators voted, said, "While we agree that EPA and the Corps ‘can and must do better to address the legitimate issues that have been raised in regards to the implementation of this rule,' as your correspondence states, the best way to ensure that EPA and the Corps address the fundamental flaws in the WOTUS rule-making is by enacting and requiring the agencies comply with S. 1140."