Agriculture
The Clean Water Restoration Act (CWRA) would re-define “waters of the United States” in the Clean Water Act by deleting the word “navigable” from the definition, which could expand federal authority to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). As a result, the CWRA will create a new set of broad federal authorities and could erase the distinction between federal waters, state waters and waters on private lands.
By removing the flexibility of states, cities and counties for efficient planning and permitting, farmers and ranchers will be forced to apply to the federal government for land and water-use decisions that are best made locally. This could present a host of negative consequences for many in the agricultural community. In fact, the CWRA could:
- Increase compliance costs and the burdensome permit processes. If the Clean Water Act is expanded, its broader scope could likely result in an increase in permit requests, litigation that will lead to further delays, higher compliance costs, lost productivity and financial burdens for family farmers and small businesses. As a result, the CWRA could place burdens on farmers and ranchers and limit their ability to efficiently produce food, fiber and fuel.
- Extend the reach of the Clean Water Act to “all” water in the United States. Expanding the scope of the Clean Water Act could sweep many agricultural and forestry activities under Clean Water Act regulation simply because they occur near an isolated ditch, swale, wash, erosion feature or ephemeral stream that could be deemed a water of the United States.
- The Prior Converted Cropland Exclusion and S.787
- The Savings Clause Does Not Save Any Private Land from Federal Regulation
- The Waste Treatment Systems Exclusion and S. 787
- Letter from the American Farm Bureau Federation detailing concerns with the Clean Water Restoration Act
- Testimony by the American Farm Bureau Federation on the Clean Water Restoration Act
- Testimony by the Idaho Waters Users Association on the Clean Water Restoration Act
- Testimony by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association on the Clean Water Restoration Act
- Testimony by the Northeast Dairy Farmers Cooperative on the Clean Water Restoration Act
- Testimony by the American Farm Bureau Federation to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- Letter from the California Farm Bureau Federation Regarding Concerns with the Clean Water Restoration Act
