{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=d312091e-4bb6-4b6c-9f4e-c59260a13de8", "AG COMMITTEE SENATORS REQUEST IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL OF NEW CLEAN WATER ACT REGS FOR AGRICULTURE", "2014-10-23", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The new agriculture rule released in conjunction with the controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) proposal could fundamentally alter interaction between farmers and the federal government and should be immediately withdrawn, U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Republican members of the Senate Agriculture Committee asserted today.\r\nAgriculture Committee Ranking Member Cochran, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and John Thune (R-S.D.) have asked the Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide an update on implementation of the agriculture Interpretive Rule and requested its immediate withdrawal.\r\n\u201cWe have heard from farmers, ranchers, and other rural constituents about the Interpretive Rule and are deeply concerned it has created great confusion about what agriculture activities are exempt from regulation under the Clean Water Act,\u201d the Senators wrote in a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Army Secretary John McHugh and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.\u00a0\r\nThe WOTUS regulations, issued jointly by the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers, would bring more waters--including streams, creeks, wetlands, ponds and ditches--under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act making them subject to EPA permitting requirements.\u00a0 The agriculture Interpretive Rule outlines just 56 activities out of more than 160 conservation practices that previously qualified for the normal farming and ranching exemption.\r\nIn their letter, the Senators say the Interpretive Rule should be withdrawn because farming, ranching and rural constituencies had little opportunity to have input on the new rule.\r\n\u201cBeyond adding confusion and uncertainty, the Interpretive Rule would fundamentally change the relationship between the Department of Agriculture and farm families.\u00a0 Over decades of farm policy, USDA has established an unprecedented relationship of trust with farmers, ranchers, and rural stakeholders.\u00a0 This unique relationship is built on voluntary conservation programs and a mutual commitment to protecting natural resources and keeping land in agriculture.\u00a0 Bringing USDA into the Clean Water Act permitting process would profoundly shift the nature of this successful approach by dismantling a longstanding partnership between the Federal government and agriculture community,\u201d the Senators wrote.\r\nThe correspondence is the latest step taken by Republican members of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee to raise concerns with the Obama administration about the WOTUS initiative.\u00a0 The proposed regulatory scheme was a central topic when the Senators met with Administrator McCarthy in July to discuss the effect of aggressive EPA regulatory expansion on agriculture and rural states.\r\nNow, the Senators continue to call for more transparency and stakeholder involvement.\r\n\u201cAs the Administration continues to extend the timeframe for finalization of the flawed WOTUS proposal, any further discussion of how agricultural activities may fit into this framework must allow for a transparent and public process in which the voice of American agriculture can be heard,\u201d the Senators\u2019 letter concluded.\r\nA signed copy of the letter is available below.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=d312091e-4bb6-4b6c-9f4e-c59260a13de8"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2557138688862324, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}