{"id":149,"date":"2020-09-21T17:09:35","date_gmt":"2020-09-21T21:09:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nationalpotatocouncil.org\/?page_id=149"},"modified":"2023-02-28T10:01:00","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T15:01:00","slug":"environment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalpotatocouncil.org\/advocacy\/policy-priorities\/environment\/","title":{"rendered":"Environment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Our Position<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

U.S. potato growers are largely family farmers with operations that span generations. Growers are stewards of the land and contribute to the protection and management of the nation\u2019s environment. NPC encourages public and private partnerships that support sound stewardship of public and private working lands and associated waters that will maintain the health and productivity of those resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Waters of the United States<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On January 18, 2023, the Environmental Protection Administration and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published the Administration\u2019s long-expected WOTUS rule, which reverts back to the Obama Administration\u2019s era of federal jurisdiction to regulate navigable waters under the Clean Water Act, including wetlands, ephemeral streams and ditches.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Rep. David\u202fRouzer\u202f(R-NC) led 152 House members in introducing a joint resolution of disapproval to block this new WOTUS rule.\u202fAn identical measure was also introduced in the Senate by 49 Senators, Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congress should affirm this joint resolution of disapproval of the WOTUS rule due to its unnecessarily broad and negative impact on farmers and the entire agriculture industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Endangered Species Act Reform<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The negative impact that environmental activist lawsuits and adverse regulatory decisions have generated under ESA are substantial and constraining reasonable activities by the agriculture industry in managing its natural resources. Productive agricultural land is being taken out of production and access to essential water resources is being reduced or eliminated. The results are generational competitive losses and negative economic impacts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to correct this broken system, a two-pronged effort is necessary that will involve: <\/p>\n\n\n\n