WASHINGTON (June 27, 2017) – National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Craig Uden and Public Lands Council President Dave Eliason today issued the following statements regarding the announcement that the Environmental Protection Agency has filed an official proposal to withdraw the 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule:

“This is another great step in the right direction, and the Administration deserves a great deal of credit for injecting some much-needed common sense into our nation’s environmental policies,” NCBA’s Uden said. “It’s important to remember, though, that this rule isn’t dead yet. The rulemaking process continues, and NCBA will submit and solicit additional comments on behalf of America’s cattle producers so that they finally get the sanity and clarity they need on land use policy.”

“We applaud President Trump and Administrator Pruitt for their leadership in repealing the 2015 WOTUS rule,” Eliason added. “Ranchers in the West are already subject to an elevated level of regulatory overreach, and the WOTUS rule as written would have only made the problem worse. It is reassuring to see the steps that this administration is taking to relieve some of that regulatory burden and provide certainty for our producers.”