The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is continuing its legal battle concerning who has jurisdiction over the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Attorneys for AFBF told Judge Sylvia Rambo in U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania that the states in the watershed, not the federal government, should decide how to achieve water quality goals.
They told the court that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) violated the Clean Water Act when it issued a “Total Maximum Daily Load” regulation for the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed.
“The Clean Water Act put states in the driver’s seat when it comes to decisions about how to achieve clean water and restrictions on land use and development,” Don Parrish, senior director of regulatory relations for AFBF, said.
After hearing the AFBF’s arguments in the case, Judge Rambo told both parties not to expect a quick decision on the matter.