The Farm Post eNews

Friday eNews from the Pike and Scott County Farm Bureaus

JULY 3, 2015

IL Businesses Blast WOTUS Rule

Representatives from a coalition of Illinois business organizations - from farmers to homebuilders -- say the final rule governing "waters of the U.S." amounts to a "gotcha regulation" for farmers and landowners.

"Even if landowners know their land like the back of their hands, it will be difficult to immediately recognize features that the federal government will categorize as a tributary, potentially costing them thousands of dollars in fines if enforcement action is taken," said Lauren Lurkins, Illinois Farm Bureau's director of natural and environmental resources.

The coalition, which includes Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB), held a teleconference Tuesday to outline their concerns about the final rule by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers. Published Monday in the Federal Register, the rule becomes effective Aug. 28.

Click here for more information on WOTUS, and a link to American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) updated 'Ditch the Rule' website.

Time for Senate to Act on WOTUS

TELL KIRK TO COSPONSOR

The House did its job to stop the Waters of the U.S. rule. Now the Senate must do the same. Contact your senators and urge support for the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, S. 1140. Without your support, the Environmental Protection Agency will expand its jurisdiction over features like dry streambeds and ditches-features that were never intended to be regulated as if they are navigable waterways, under federal jurisdiction, with all the bureaucracy and expense that entails.

Send a message now to block finalization of the rule.

MO Deals Blow to GBECL

At its July 1 meeting, the Missouri Public Service Commission voted to reject Grain Belt Express Clean Line's application to cross the state with their HVDC transmission line.

In a 3-2 vote, the MPSC approved an order denying the authority to build the line in Missouri.

At a meeting held for landowners in Pike and Scott counties who may be impacted by the line, Attorney Bill Shay noted that GBECL has an opportunity to appeal the order or re-file at a later date.

The company's application in Illinois is still proceeding through the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Have a Happy Independence Day

Farm Bureau will be closed Friday, July 3

VOTE JULY 7

Don't forget that this coming Tuesday, July 7 there will be a special primary election in Pike and Scott counties.

The primary election is to choose candidates to fill the unexpired term of Aaron Schock who resigned his seat in Congress in March.

On This Day

JULY 3, 1863

PICKETT'S CHARGE

Pickett's Charge was the pinnacle of the Battle of Gettysburg, and one of the most famous infantry attacks of the American Civil War (1861-1865). Lasting about an hour on the afternoon of July 3, 1863, it pitted 12,000 Confederates-including three brigades of Virginians under George E. Pickett-against half that number of Union troops. On July 2, Robert E. Lee had unsuccessfully attacked the Union flanks; in what even some of his own men perceived as a desperate gambit, he now attacked the center, asking his troops to cross an open field nearly three-quarters of a mile long. They were bloodily repulsed, losing half their number.