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Ohio AG files lawsuit against EPA

Like nearly two dozen other states, the Ohio Attorney General is challenging the U.S. EPA’s clean water rule.

Ohio AG Mike DeWine says the new regulations are not only an expansion of power of the federal government, the regulations clearly violates both the language and spirit of the Clean Water Act.

“We just can’t let that stand,” DeWine said. “Because if it does stand and it’s not challenged, there’s no limit to what U.S. EPA can do on farmland, or any property in the whole state, in the whole country.”

Including some creeks the Ohio AG is quite familiar with.

“On our farm, where I am right now, we’ve got some creeks and sometimes when I walk out there, they’re flowing pretty good and sometimes they are totally dry,” said the Ohio AG. “They would, under this interpretation say they have jurisdiction over that little creek, they would even have jurisdiction over a little creek that has not flowed for a number of years.”

Audio: Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine

In a statement from the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, OFBF said Attorney General DeWine was right in recognizing the action as a clear violation of state’s rights and they applaud the AG’s request the court vacate the rule.