Oregon Farm Bureau Statement on WOTUS Repeal

News Release from Oregon Farm Bureau
September 12th, 2019 1:27

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2019

Oregon Farm Bureau statement on WOTUS repeal

The following statement about the repeal and replacement of the Waters of the U.S. rule (WOTUS) may be attributed to Oregon Farm Bureau.

Sept. 12, 2019, SALEM, OREGON: “Oregon Farm Bureau applauds the repeal and replacement of the WOTUS rule. The WOTUS rule enacted by the previous administration exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers’ jurisdiction, could have required farmers to get permits just to work on their fields, and would have opened farmers up to costly citizen suit litigation. 

“Oregon already has strong water quality and fill-and-removal regulations. The rule proposed by the previous administration would not add anything, it would only give litigious environmental groups the ability to bring citizen suits against farmers who are already working to improve and protect water quality. We think enforcement is best left to the state, and the rule enacted by the current administration will help accomplish that goal.

“Oregon’s farmers and ranchers have always been proactive about protecting water quality. We supported Oregon’s agricultural water quality program, which was one of the first in the nation and has done a great job of protecting water quality in our state. Farmers and ranchers have also invested millions of dollars in on-the-ground work to help protect water quality on agricultural lands. OFB believes in working collaboratively with partners to achieve water quality goals, not in allowing farmers to be subjected to costly litigation with no measurable change in water quality.” 

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* Note to Editors: “Farm Bureau” is a registered trademark; please capitalize in all cases.

Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) is a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit, general farm organization representing the interests of farming and ranching families in the public and policymaking arenas. First established in Oregon at the county level in 1919 and the state level in 1932, Farm Bureau is organized in all 36 counties.

Oregon Farm Bureau President Sharon Waterman is an OFB Hall of Fame honoree and operates a Century Ranch raising sheep, cattle, and timber in Bandon. She is OFB’s 16th president.