Environmental Issues Re-Debated and Emerging Environmental Issues By Alan Hahn Environmental Scientist
In discussing the ongoing debate surrounding “regulated waters” last fall, we said, “…the federal elections may play a significant role in the future of WOTUS/NWPR (Waters of the United States/Navigable Waters Protection Rule). The Obama Administration took a far-more conservative approach to jurisdictional water when they issued the 2015 rule, compared to the current rule under the Trump Administration” (Greenstone Partners, October 15, 2020). True to form, with the new administration comes another potential change in direction with respect to regulated waters. According to Bloomberg Law, “President Joe Biden set the WOTUS pendulum swinging again on Jan. 20. That day, he announced that the EPA and the Defense Department would review Trump’s narrow federal waters definition. Biden also signed a separate executive order revoking a 2017 Trump order calling for a review and reversal of the Obama rule.” Water is the Lifeblood of our Society/ Economy
Our country has debated the definition of jurisdictional or regulated waters for decades. It’s no small question and it has plenty of politics baked into the debate. Too restrictive 17
Spring 2021 — Partners
and development and agricultural practices could be handtied to the extent it severely stifles growth. Too lenient and we risk impacting the lifeblood of our society and economy – clean and plentiful water. This is one of the many environmental issues about which we have written over the years for the agricultural community. Environmental Issues are Dynamic
The truth is, environmental issues and mankind’s activity are inexorably linked. This is true for manufacturing, our daily lives, and perhaps more than anything – agriculture. We need clean air, clean water, and healthy soil. But this doesn’t just happen. We don’t want to return to the days when pollutants were recklessly strewn about, dumped outside the backdoor, buried on a remote area of the property, or used to fill a hole. Environmental regulations are not stagnant. New laws and regulations are developed as we learn more about the potential effects of natural and man-made chemicals on human health and the environment. PFAS Are Affecting Everyone
The most recent example of waste products being mismanaged (or ignored) is per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Several farmers were directly impacted by these chemicals including farmers in Maine, New Mexico and West Virginia. My colleagues and I have written and spoken on this issue extensively over the past few years. As frustrating as WOTUS has been, PFAS and its impact on agriculture could dwarf WOTUS; briefly, here’s why. • PFAS have been used in industrial and consumer products for decades (waterproofing materials, stain resistant fabrics, food wrappers, cooking utensils, cleaning products, waxes…the list is lengthy). • The firefighting foam Aqueous FilmForming Foam (AFFF) contains PFAS and has been widely used at airports. Because AFFF is sprayed with large amounts of water on fires it can easily enter the environment and impact groundwater. • PFAS are ubiquitous. They are found on nearly every corner of the earth and in our bloodstream. • There are thousands of PFAS chemicals, and we’ve have only focused on a few of these chemicals.
