EPA's Heir Apparent, Scott Pruitt, Speaks Out On His Stance To Hot Button Issues WOTUS And RFS

Dec 09, 2016

Since being named the President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee as administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency, sitting Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt made his first public appearance at a Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting this morning. KWON Radio News Director Charlie Taraboletti had the chance to visit with Pruitt briefly at the breakfast, where Pruitt offered some comments regarding his stance on a couple issues he will soon be given authority over, including the Waters of the US rule (WOTUS) and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“I think the states across the country and the Sixth Circuit obviously has spoken to this already; that there is great concern about the definition that’s been deployed and established,” Pruitt said, referring to the WOTUS rule and the way it was implemented.

He explains that federal agencies currently have a view that if something is not acted on or defined specifically by congress, then they believe they have the authority to indecently act on their own, making policy up without oversight and essentially legislating through regulation. Pruitt goes on to say that he hopes this view will change during the transition of the new administration and that all branches of government will act within their appropriate parameters.

Looking at the Renewable Fuel Standard, Pruitt contends that like many other well-intended rules that have failed to meet their expectations and objectives, he thinks it wise for congress to consider revisiting and reevaluating.

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.