{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=2c0fcc65-7d62-4b6d-ac47-9d222ebd924c", "Common Sense Wetlands Policies Needed in Washington", "2014-12-05", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tSouth Dakota\u2019s diverse landscape includes everything from native grasslands and fertile croplands, to forestlands and wetlands. Wetlands are especially prevalent east of the Missouri River in an area known as the Prairie Pothole Region.\r\nFarmers and ranchers in the Prairie Pothole Region are familiar with the unique challenges wetlands pose to their operations. In wetter years, seasonal wetlands can prevent crops from being planted or flood crops already planted. These complications are often exacerbated by federal regulations, which restrict how wetlands are managed by farming operations. Not only are farmers forced to deal with crop losses, but they are also forced to tread around federal rules governing the wetlands.\r\nEarlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule redefining \u201cwaters of the U.S.\u201d under the Clean Water Act to include nearly every stream, wetland, and ditch that has typically been regulated at the state level. This proposed expansion would have significant consequences on property owners, likely subject to new federal permit requirements, compliance costs, and threats of significant fines.\r\nAdditionally, hundreds of farmers throughout the state continue working diligently to comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) \u201cswampbuster\u201d requirements while waiting, sometimes longer than a year, for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to complete requests for wetlands determinations needed to retain eligibility for farm program assistance.\r\nOn December 4th, I raised both of these issues with the Chief of the NRCS, Jason Weller, at a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing. I made clear that he and other leaders at USDA have an obligation to promote the welfare and wellbeing of agriculture producers, including defending producers from EPA\u2019s overreaching \u201cwaters of the U.S.\u201d rule.\r\nI also called on Chief Weller to address the backlog of undetermined wetlands experienced by so many South Dakota producers. Chief Weller stated that since the July NRCS meeting in Aberdeen, attended by more than 300 South Dakota producers, the backlog of undetermined wetlands in South Dakota decreased by 10 percent, and is currently under 2,600 requests. He also announced South Dakota will receive additional staff to reduce the state\u2019s current wetlands determinations backlog. Chief Weller\u2019s goal is to completely clear the backlog in three years.\r\nWhile I welcome Chief Weller\u2019s update on the progress made over the past few months, the current status of the wetlands determination backlog is still unacceptable, and more must be done to meet the needs of South Dakota producers.\u00a0I will continue pushing the NRCS to eliminate the backlog of determinations, and I will continue fighting to keep EPA\u2019s \u201cwaters of the U.S. rule\u201d from encroaching on farmers, ranchers, and businesses.", 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.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=2c0fcc65-7d62-4b6d-ac47-9d222ebd924c"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.989158870652318, "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"}