National Grange Commends Supreme Court for Siding With Landowners

On Thursday, the Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision that greatly narrows the scope of the Clean Water Act as interpreted by the federal government.  This long-awaited ruling on Waters of the United States (“WOTUS”) states the law only regulates wetlands when they are “as a practical matter indistinguishable from waters of the United States.”  The EPA and Corps of Engineers will need to rewrite their WOTUS rule that went into effect in March to reflect this new guidance and allow farmers, ranchers, forest owners, and other landowners to move ahead with good management decisions.

“The National Grange has long maintained the EPA and Corps of Engineers onerous WOTUS rule infringed upon private property rights and prevented landowners from making wise stewardship decisions about their land and water”, said Betsy Huber, President of the National Grange.  “The WOTUS rule was a classic case of government overreach that went far beyond the original intent of Congress. Farmers, ranchers, and forest owners are America’s original conservationists and know far better how to manage their soil, water and food production than the federal government.”

Founded in 1867, the Grange is a fraternal, nonpartisan organization with roughly 140,000 members across the nation in over 1,500 local chapters. Open to anyone age 14 and older interested in agriculture, rural concerns or bettering their community, the Grange never endorses candidates but works on issues made policy of the organization through a grassroots vetting process.

Grange members provide millions of hours of service and dollars in donations annually based on the needs identified in their local communities. From providing dictionaries to third-grade students often unserved or underserved by broadband internet, to hosting candidate forums to providing handmade caps for newborns, Grange members find ways to improve the lives of their neighbors both in service and through advocacy efforts.

Learn more about the Grange and our grassroots policy and priority issues, the service of our members across the nation to improve the quality of life in their communities, and where you can find a Grange local to you by visiting vps70863.inmotionhosting.com/~nationalgrange.