WASHINGTON DC (September 13, 2019) — The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) issued the following statement regarding the decision of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Army Corps of Engineers to finalize the repeal of the Waters of the US (WOTUS) rule under the Clean Water Act.
“Since the WOTUS rule was proposed in 2014, NACD has been working continuously to advocate for its reversal,” NACD President Tim Palmer said. “Yesterday's announcement is a positive step forward for locally-led conservation and brings a greater level of certainty for producers and landowners who are stewards of our land and water.”
The full repeal of the 2015 rule brings all 50 states back under regulations that have been in effect since the 1980s.
“For more than 75 years, conservation districts have been leaders in locally-led efforts to ensure a clean and sustainable water supply for the nation,” Palmer said. “The nation’s nearly 3,000 conservation districts and the landowners they work with are the best-equipped to handle local decision-making, and we applaud the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers for reversing the 2015 rule.”
The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers will continue to work toward finalizing a revised definition of WOTUS published in the Federal Register in December 2018. EPA leaders expect to finalize the revised definition by the end of the year.
“We look forward to continue working with the administration to empower locally-led decision-making and protect our nation’s natural resources for the future,” Palmer said.
To learn more about the revised definition, view NACD's April 2019 public comments on WOTUS.
About the National Association of Conservation Districts:
The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nation's 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. For more than 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working-lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org.
