TSCRA News Release: TSCRA Submits Comments Opposing EPA Water Rule Proposal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Nov. 17, 2014
Contact: Laramie Adams
Cell: 512-922-7328
Fort Worth, Texas- The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) President, Pete Bonds, today made the following statement after TSCRA submitted comments on Friday opposing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule proposal. The rule would redefine the term navigable under the waters of the U.S. to give the federal government jurisdiction over all water in the country.
“As a cattle rancher and landowner, the EPA water rule proposal causes me a great deal of concern,” said Bonds. “If implemented the federal government would have control over all water in the U.S., clear down to the water that falls off the brim of my hat when it rains.
“The rule goes even further to expand EPA’s authority to not only water, but also ditches and man-made conveyances that could hold water. Additionally, it would require landowners to obtain costly permits to apply pesticides, graze cattle, conduct construction projects and perform other routine maintenance on their land. These permits can take up to a year to receive.
“This rule amounts to the largest land grab in history and would not be good for the cattle industry or the landowners in our country. I hope the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers will take our comments into serious consideration and realize the detrimental impact this proposal could have on our important industry if it is implemented.”
To read the comments that TSCRA submitted to the EPA, please visit https://tscra.org/docs/11-14-14TSCRAWOTUScomments.pdf.
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TSCRA is a 137-year-old trade association and is the largest and oldest livestock organization based in Texas. TSCRA has more than 16,000 beef cattle operations, ranching families and businesses as members. These members represent approximately 50,000 individuals directly involved in ranching and beef production who manage 4 million head of cattle on 76 million acres of range and pasture land primarily in Texas and Oklahoma, but throughout the Southwest.