‘Waters of the United States’ EPA Proposes New Definition

Following President Trump’s directive to provide certainty to American farmers and landowners so that the economy can continue to expand while waters are protected, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army (Army) are moving to the next steps in proposing a new definition of the Waters of the United States.

EPA and the Army will hold a public hearing on the proposed new “waters of the United States” definition in Kansas City with sessions on Feb. 27 and 28, 2019. All persons wanting to speak are encouraged to register in advance. EPA and the Army will also hold an informational webcast on Feb. 14, 2019.

Public Hearing Logistics: The Wednesday session of the public hearing will convene at 4:00 p.m. (local time) and will conclude no later than 8:00 p.m. The Thursday session will convene at 9:00 a.m. and will conclude no later than 12:00 p.m.

The public hearing will be held in the Wyandotte Ballroom of the Reardon Convention Center, 520 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66101. Those interested in speaking at the hearing can register for a three-minute speaking slot. The last day to pre-register to speak at the hearing is Feb. 21, 2019. On February 26, the agencies will post a general agenda for the hearing on the EPA website. It will list pre-registered speakers in approximate order. Registration for the public rearing is available through the EPA website. Additionally, requests to speak will be taken the day of the hearing at the hearing registration desk, pending availability, and a sign language interpreter will be available for the hearing.

Webinar Logistics: EPA and the Army will also hold a public webcast to explain the key elements of the proposed "Revised Definition of Waters of the United States" on Feb. 14, 2019, at 3:30 pm EST. A copy of the entire webcast will be made available afterwards. Webinar registration is limited to 2,000 attendees, so interested parties are encouraged to view with colleagues. Registration is available online.

Background

On Dec. 11, 2018, EPA and the Army signed a proposed rule providing a clear, understandable and implementable definition of “waters of the United States” that clarifies federal authority under the Clean Water Act, while respecting the role of states and tribes in managing their own land and water resources. The agencies have submitted the proposed rule to the Office of the Federal Register for publication.

CONTINUE READING ON www.epa.gov