Poultry producers say 'Waters of U.S.' rule would significantly burden operations

The National Chicken Council, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association and National Turkey Federation filed comments last week with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the proposed rule developed by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (Corps) to define "Waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Like many other potentially affected parties, the three organizations note that the rule extends the authority and jurisdiction of the CWA and will confound practical implementation, and should be withdrawn.

The comments address the proposed rule dated April 21, 2014, wherein the agencies state the proposed rule would "enhance protection of the nation's public health and aquatic resources, and increase CWA program predictability and consistency by increasing clarity as to the scope of 'waters of the United States' protected under the Act." EPA and the Corps are claiming that areas where water is present, as infrequently as once every few years, should be subject to CWA permit requirements, because the water could potentially be connected to navigable water.

"While the processes and inter-relationships identified in the Report provide mechanisms to establish potential chemical, biological and physical ties between waters, the idea of a universally applicable mechanism for every water or drainage feature that exists on the landscape lacks any degree of scientific robustness. Given the financial and potential criminal liabilities associated with violating the CWA, the connectivity of an area to a navigable water is best established on a case-by-case basis. This vague concept of connectivity cannot be applied universally to all areas and navigable waters, thereby defeating the agencies' stated purpose of avoiding case-by-case determinations for waters of the U.S," the groups said.

The groups further remarked, "The proposed rule would assert jurisdictional authority over countless dry creeks, ditches, swales and low spots that are wet because it rains or a farmer has installed practices to sustain the viability of his operation. Even worse, the proposed rule attempts to claim authority over remote "wetlands" and/or drainage features solely because they are near an ephemeral drainage feature or ditch that are now defined as a water of the U.S. subject to CWA jurisdiction. Such unnecessary expansion of CWA jurisdiction significantly burdens poultry and egg production operations without any meaningful public health or environmental benefits."

The comment letter can be viewed by clicking here.

Source: NCC