Stop the Back and Fourth: EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers are working to update the definition of WOTUS

“We can finally put into place rules that will have some staying power, which will give certainty to landowners across the country.”

The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers are working to update the definition of Waters of the United States after a Supreme Court ruling. It signals a turning point in an issue that has caused uncertainty for farmers and ranchers for more than a decade.

According to Rep. Dan Newhouse, “We can finally put into place rules that will have some staying power, which will give certainty to landowners across the country. I’m glad that the current EPA leaders are opening this up so that we can achieve the certainty that property owners have so long been working for.”

Newhouse is hopeful the agencies will get it right, in light of the Supreme Court’s Sackett decision.

“This yo-yos back and forth depending on who’s in the White House or who’s controlling Congress,” he notes. “People need more certainty than that so that they can make long-term decisions on how to utilize their property.”

Last month, the EPA and Army Corps released new guidance. They removed the “discrete features” rule, which means wetlands separated by things like berms or dry land no longer count as waters of the United States.

Related Stories
Enforceable origin labels could create clearer premiums for U.S. cattle and address concerns some producers have had with competition from foreign imported beef.
A court decision that overturns Enlist labels would remove two major herbicides from use and reshape EPA’s future mitigation policies for other pesticides.
Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (PRF) interval selection—not just participation—drives protection levels as rainfall patterns become less predictable across the South.
If the House concurs and the President signs, USDA services and farm-bill programs resume at full speed with authorities extended for another year.
Experts highlight the importance of monitoring insecticide resistance in crops and improving disease traceability at livestock shows through RFID technology.
Lewie Pugh, with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report to share his perspective on what the bill could mean for truckers.