Iowa Corn Grower Association President Testifies on Negative Impact of the Clean Water Restoration Act (4-17-08)

Citing the negative impacts of the Clean Water Restoration Act (CWRA), Iowa Corn Grower Association President Tim Recker testified on Capitol Hill Wednesday evening that the water legislation would allow federal agencies to reach directly onto farmland and give bureaucrats a license to regulate activities regardless of whether they are occurring in or near water.

At the hearing before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Recker, a corn and soybean grower from Arlington, Iowa, provided specific examples of the impact the legislation would have on farmers and ranchers.

“H.R. 2421 would grant the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) federal regulatory authority over all ‘intrastate waters,’ erasing any distinction between federal waters and state waters,” Recker said.  “This would move the CWA [Clean Water Act] beyond protecting wetlands and waterways and transform it into a vehicle for regulating virtually every wet area in the nation – from irrigation ditches to man-made lagoons to possibly even groundwater which has always been regulated at the state level.  H.R. 2421 does not give any limitation on what should or should not be considered as a ‘water of the United States,’ and therefore all waters of any kind located within any state could be swept into jurisdiction.”

In his testimony, Recker said that “corn farmers are involved in numerous state, local and national programs that complement the goals of the CWA by protecting environmentally sensitive land from crop production and encouraging other on-farm conservation measures.”  He continued by noting environmental gains corn farmers have made, such as reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, and increasing wildlife habitat.

Recker concluded, “Soil, water, sunlight and nature’s other resources are the most important tools a farmer has. Agriculture producers use these resources with care so that future generations can continue to work the land as producers of food, feed, fiber and fuel.  Environmental stewardship begins on private lands, and corn growers are committed to leaving our environment in better shape than we found it.” 

Click here to read Recker’s written testimony in its entirety.