FEDERALhearing transcript

Senate Hearing on Federal Environmental Regulations and Agriculture

Original title: THE IMPACT OF FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND POLICIES ON AMERICAN FARMING AND RANCHING COMMUNITIES

January 1, 2018

agriculture environmental regulation water policy land management WOTUS

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing serves as a formal record of industry concerns regarding federal oversight, which influences future legislative efforts to modify or repeal environmental regulations affecting agricultural land use and water rights.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Farmers and Ranchers

These groups are subject to federal environmental regulations that dictate land and water use on their properties.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The agency is responsible for implementing and revising environmental rules, including the WOTUS regulation.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2018.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing on February 7, 2018, to examine how federal environmental policies affect American farmers and ranchers. The discussion focused on concerns that certain regulations are inflexible or duplicative, specifically highlighting the 'Waters of the United States' () rule.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on February 7, 2018, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
The committee discussed the impact of federal environmental regulations on farming and ranching communities.
Chairman Barrasso stated that the committee's goal is to ensure environmental laws are effective without being overly burdensome.
The 'Waters of the United States' (WOTUS) rule was identified as a primary concern for farmers and ranchers.
A delay in the implementation of the WOTUS rule was finalized the week prior to the hearing.
The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers were granted time to revise the WOTUS rule to address concerns regarding the regulation of irrigation ditches, ponds, and puddles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the main purpose of this hearing?

To discuss how federal environmental regulations impact the daily operations and economic viability of American farmers and ranchers.

What is the status of the 'Waters of the United States' (WOTUS) rule?

As of February 2018, the implementation of the rule was delayed to allow the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to revise it.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

WOTUS Rule Delay

The hearing confirms a specific administrative pivot in early 2018 to delay and revise the WOTUS rule.

Environmental Protection Agency Army Corps of Engineers

Connected Entities

personJohn Barrasso“Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works”Map →

organizationArmy Corps of Engineers“Federal agency involved in water resource regulation”Map →

organizationEnvironmental Protection Agency“Federal agency responsible for environmental regulation”Map →

personNiels Hansen“Secretary-Treasurer, Public Lands Council”Map →

personZippy Duvall“President, American Farm Bureau Federation”Map →

personThomas R. Carper“Senator from Delaware”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy50
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

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