Environmental Protection Agency chief Michael Regan was called out on biofuel use, pesticide registrations, and the Biden Waters of the U.S. rule at a House Ag hearing. Ag Chair Glenn Thompson told Regan that EPA’s policies are “anti-farmer” and implied the White House was putting political pressure on EPA to restrict pesticide use and propose a confusing WOTUS rule. Regan pushed back.
“I, fortunately, have not had any fingers on the scale as it relates to doing the business of EPA when it relates to our agricultural practices.”
But some, like Nebraska Republican Don Bacon, weren’t convinced, especially on Waters of the US, which is still before the US Supreme Court.
“There’s anger. I think any goodwill that this administration had built with farmers and ranchers, it’s gone with this ruling. This is a ‘kick to the gut,’ as some of them have told me.”
Other lawmakers asked why EPA rejected USDA’s advice to retain some uses of Chlorpyrifos and other key pesticides. Regan said it wasn’t about the science, but a federal court.
“The court weighed in and said they were fed up and frustrated with EPA’s inaction, so they set a high bar and a timeline that was very hard to meet.”
Regan boasted EPA had set the highest biofuel volume targets ever, but said this to Illinois Rep Michael Bost regarding the request by eight Midwest governors for a waiver allowing E15 use this summer.
“We tried to ramp it up in a timely fashion to have 2023 included, but we’re probably just not going to be able to do that. So, what we’ll be looking at is the same thing we looked at last year, which is a case-by-case analysis of whether or not E15 will be needed in 2023. And in that case, we’d have to use our emergency waiver.”
Regan declined to say when he will decide on an E15 waiver, citing legal reasons.
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