Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy met with Senate Ag Committee Republicans Tuesday – according to The Hagstrom Report. Mississippi’s Thad Cochran told McCarthy the Waters of the U.S. proposal and agriculture interpretive rule are a source of uncertainty, anxiety and distrust for people in rural areas. Kansas Senator Pat Roberts expressed his frustration with EPA’s recent campaign calling concerns surrounding the proposed rules myths. Iowa’s Chuck Grassley reiterated his concerns with the proposed waters rule – too – and says there’s no question this administration has a poor track record with agricultural interests on any number of issues.
Grassley says it’s hard to believe how EPA thinks it can manage new rules when this unhelpful approach and general negative attitude toward agriculture seem to be standard protocol. He says the meeting with McCarthy did little to alleviate his concerns that the agency isn’t listening to the people its rules will directly impact. EPA Spokeswoman Liz Purchia says EPA knows no one understands the importance of water quality better than the ag community – and the Administrator appreciated the meeting with the Senators.