National Ag Law Center webinar to explore history, definition of WOTUS
The process to define waters of the U.S. has been controversial, and the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have struggled to craft a lasting definition since the Clean Water Act was adopted by Congress in 1972.
March 3, 2023
By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- National Ag Law Center hosting March 15 webinar, “What’s Up with WOTUS: An Overview of ‘Waters of the United States’ and Why it Matters to Agriculture.”
- NALC Staff Attorney Brigit Rollins is presenting.
- Registration is online.
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Related photo of Rollins: https://flic.kr/p/2h4geR3
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Defining water is one thing. Defining “waters of the United States,” or WOTUS, has proven to be a multi-agency, multi-decade struggle.
"The term ‘waters of the United States’ is critical to implementation of the Clean Water Act,” said Brigit Rollins, staff attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center.
The process to define waters of the U.S. has been controversial, and the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have struggled to craft a lasting definition since the Clean Water Act was adopted by Congress in 1972.
Rollins, who specializes in environmental law as it intersects with agriculture, will present “What’s Up with WOTUS: An Overview of ‘Waters of the United States’ and Why it Matters to Agriculture.” The March 15 NALC webinar runs from noon to 1 p.m. EDT, and registration is free of charge online.
“This webinar will provide an in-depth look at the current state of WOTUS by providing relevant historical and legal context, and examining the most recent WOTUS definition from EPA,” Rollins said.
The webinar is the first in a two-part series on WOTUS, with part two being presented by Rollins on July 19.
“WOTUS continues to be a significant issue for all aspects of the agricultural sector, and the current issues are no exception,” NALC Director Harrison Pittman said. “Brigit is a leading expert on this area and will provide another informative presentation for anyone wanting to learn more and the latest, and why it matters to agriculture.”
For updates on WOTUS and other agricultural law developments, subscribe free of charge to The Feed, the NALC’s newsletter highlighting recent legal developments facing agriculture, which issues twice a month.
For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on Twitter. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural
and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal
policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many
others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information
to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and
works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural
Library.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen
agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption
of best practices. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work
within the nation’s historic land grant education system through the Agricultural
Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal
access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to
participate or need materials in another format, please contact dviguet@uark.edu as
soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media contact:
Drew Viguet
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu