Missouri Farm Bureau’s Hawkins Voices Opposition To WOTUS Rewrite Before Congress

Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins says producers are “extremely disappointed” in the Biden Administration’s new Waters of the U.S. rule that he says will only make farming more costly and difficult.

Testifying before Congress on Wednesday, Hawkins called the final WOTUS rule regulatory ‘overreach’ that will hurt farming and discourage future farmers…

Hawkins said farmers preferred the previous Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which provided “bright lines” with respect to what waters were under federal jurisdiction.  He warned that the new rule’s lack of clarity would set producers up for huge permitting costs, heavy fines or even jail…

Calling it impossible to know if a farm feature is subject to WOTUS, and if tilling and other routine farming practices will trigger harsh penalties without a permit. And the rule’s release in late December comes as a decision is expected from the Supreme Court on Sackett vs. EPA…

Hawkins told the House Water Subcommittee in his written testimony, it’s highly likely the High Court will prevent the Agencies from using the significant nexus test.

From NAFB News Service