As expected, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. Agriculture groups around the nation support the move.

Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif: “The health of our nation’s water is of paramount importance to Western Growers and its 2,500 members who grow more than half of the country’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts. Our collective livelihoods depend on the abundant availability of clean water, which has been protected over the years by the reasonable application of the Clean Water Act.

“However, we believe the 2015 WOTUS rule exceeded the federal government’s jurisdiction as defined by Congress in the Act, which only intended to give the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authority over navigable waterways affecting interstate commerce. Indeed, this interpretation has been confirmed by the Supreme Court in Rapanos v. United States. Read more

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