Kentucky’s Agriculture Commissioner is applauding a recent proposal to rescind the 2015 federal Clean Water Rule. Earlier this week EPA head Scott Pruitt proposedchanging the definition of “waters of the United States” or WOTUS.
Commissioner Ryan Quarles met with Pruitt earlier this year to discuss the removal of what he calls executive overreach. Quarles said WOTUS “requires every puddle and pond to be subject to federal regulation.”
Quarles asked the EPA administrator to repeal the 'destructive' regulation.
But, Kentucky Waterways Alliance Policy Director Bijaya Shrestha said the puddle and pond reference is not accurate.
“Frankly, I don't know where the administration or the commissioner keeps coming up with this excuse to repeal this rule.” Shrestha said.
The ‘puddle and pond’ reference, she said is “blatantly untrue.”
Shrestha said the law specifically says “that if a pond or a puddle on your land is not connected to a tributary then it does not fall under the rule. It would not be considered to be water of the United States and it wouldn't be under federal law.”
Kentuckians get 74 percent of their drinking water from waterways that are protected under WOTUS according to Shrestha.
The proposed definition change requires approval from the EPA and many other federal agencies.
