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36 POTATO GROWER | MAY 2017 36 POTATO GROWER | MAY 2017 CLEARING THE WATER How WOTUS changes will affect growers National Potato Council By John Keeling Executive Vice President & CEO standing, or continuously flowing bodies of water" connected to traditional navigable waters, and to wetlands with a continuous surface connection to such relatively permanent water. The EPA announced that it intends to immediately implement the executive order and submit notice of proposed rulemaking to withdraw and replace the current WOTUS rule. In commenting, House ag committee chairman Michael Conaway, a Republican As one step in what many believe will be a broad "regulatory reset," President Trump issued an executive order in late February directing the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to reconsider their controversial Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. This order is intended to roll back what was considered to be an overreach by the Obama administration in defining what types of land are governed by the Clean Water Act. Specifically, the order requires the agencies to review the WOTUS rule and apply an interpretation of "navigable waters" that would extend only to "relatively permanent, It is important for growers that any regulatory reform is directed at areas where overreach occurs and not critical functions affecting agriculture and crop protection. The Place to Go for Potato Equipment Contact Our Specialists! 5802 N Industrial Way, Suite D Pasco, WA 99301 800-572-0391 potatoes.eiijd.com PO Box 548, Othello, WA 99344 Travis Chlarson.............509-750-4747 Gary Hoffer....................509-331-6160 Joe Davis........... ..............541-282-4031 Let our specialists help you plan and configure the equipment to meet your needs, including: planters, harvesters, eliminators, seed cutters, pilers, etc. They can integrate any combination of products. 151351EveImp13h.indd 1 11/6/15 3:05 PM Ag groups are hopeful President Trump's call to overhaul the Waters of the U.S. rule will be benefi cial for farmers and ranchers.