Arizona Rancher: Administration has Succeeded in Removal of "Soul Crushing" Regulations
WASHINGTON (July 16, 2020) – Arizona federal lands rancher Jim Chilton today joined President Donald Trump and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler on behalf of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC) to celebrate modernization of environmental regulations including the Navigable Waters Protection Rule that replaced the ill-conceived 2015 Waters of The United States (WOTUS) rule earlier this year. “Cutting the red tape set us free as private property owners.” Chilton said. “Our ranch has approximately 100 dry washes – these are washes with no water. The Corps of Engineers and EPA who wrote the Obama 2015 regulations ruled that any dry wash that had more than 12 inches of sand in the bottom became a water of the United States. It was outrageous. The 2015 rules and regulations were overreaching red tape and threatened me and other farmers, ranchers, businessmen, and land owners with the possibility of going to jail and facing huge fines. Thank you Mister President for the Navigable Water Protection Rule that you promulgated. It set us free. The heavy hand of government is no longer on our shoulders.” President Trump was also joined at the White House by Idaho Governor Brad Little, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, Joe Cambria of Cambria Truck Center, and Amy Johnson, a physician in Bedford, VA. Like Chilton, each of the attendees highlighted various regulatory improvements the Trump administration has made since 2015, including the replacement of WOTUS with the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, streamlining transportation requirements, and improving technology and access to telehealth.
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The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) has represented America's cattle producers since 1898, preserving the heritage and strength of the industry through education and public policy. As the largest association of cattle producers, NCBA works to create new markets and increase demand for beef. Efforts are made possible through membership contributions. To join, contact NCBA at 1-866-BEEF-USA or membership@beef.org.
The Public Lands Council (PLC) represents 22,000 cattle and sheep producers who operate with federal grazing permits in the West. The PLC advocates for these western ranchers who preserve our nation’s natural resources while providing vital food and fiber to the nation and the world. Learn more at www.publiclandscouncil.org.
CONTACT: Jaclyn Roberts, jroberts@beef.org Steve Johnson, sjohnson@beef.org