EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers are holding ten regional roundtables to gauge the implications of recently proposed changes to the definition of Waters of the U.S.

Megan Dwyer, Director of Conservation and Nutrient Stewardship at Illinois Corn Growers Association, participated in one of the agency’s roundtables on Monday, 5/23.

“Farmers and ag groups have embraced the need to tackle challenges around conservation and are more than ready to continue our efforts,” she said. “I asked the EPA to work collaboratively with farmers to address actual, real on the ground needs as a practical and realistic alternative to making features WOTUS and getting in the way of farmers’ efforts. We need problem solving partners to work with us to address any water quality concerns. There was a diverse group of voices on the call to give the EPA many perspectives to consider. At the end of the conversation, the EPA noted the various innovative ideas and appreciated the robust dialogue."

Last November, EPA released a proposed rule to re-establish the pre-2015 definition of “Waters of the United States,” often referred to as WOTUS. The proposed rule removes the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, eliminating the long-overdue certainty and clarity for farmers affected by the scope of WOTUS jurisdiction.

Watch Dwyer and other remarks from Monday here.

More roundtables will occur in other states and you can watch those here.