BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring issued the following statement today in response to the Biden administration publishing its final Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers announced the final rule on Dec. 30, 2022, and published it in the Federal Register today. The rule will be effective on March 20, 2023, despite a pending Supreme Court decision on Sackett v. EPA, which may establish new parameters for federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction.
“I am disappointed that this administration is taking a step backward, which will infringe on our state’s sovereignty and will federalize almost all of North Dakota’s waters,” Goehring said. “North Dakota prides itself on the effective management of its waters for its citizens. I will work to protect the unique interests of North Dakota’s landowners, farmers, ranchers and other stakeholders in opposing this rule and the regulatory uncertainty it creates.”