The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have proposed a new rule related to the Clean Water Act that includes protecting some wetlands and streams.
According to The Sentinel, the rule is designed to regulate pollution, especially from runoff caused by Marcellus drilling in Pennsylvania. However, the rule probably won’t apply to many streams in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
If approved, this new rule could potentially affect farmers. Under the rule’s guidelines, if water doesn’t meet the requirements established by the rule, the EPA can apply fines to businesses, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars each day.
Farmers are concerned about whether or not they could be fined for “polluted” streams, ditches and ponds located on their fields. Mark O’Neill, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s media and strategic communications director, said that “farmers could face an increased threat of having their land designated a wetland and having to restore it to its original form.”
Via: The Sentinel > Proposed EPA water rule worries farm, business groups
