Federal judge blocks WOTUS rule from taking effect in Texas and in Idaho

The following statement may be attributed to Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening following a U.S. District Court ruling on March 19 to halt the 2023 Waters of the United States rule in Texas and Idaho. 

“The ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to halt implementation of the troubled 2023 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule in Texas and Idaho is very good news for Texas farmers and ranchers.

"Farmers and ranchers need rules that don’t require a team of attorneys, environmental consultants and engineers to interpret.

"The rule allows the federal government to expand its jurisdictional reach over private property. It is incredibly difficult for a farmer or rancher to understand if they have a jurisdictional feature on their property.

"These legal challenges are important. They send a clear message to EPA that it should rewrite WOTUS to limit its scope to navigable waters.”

Read the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruling.