CHESTERFIELD, MISSOURI, U.S. —The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) on Nov. 6 joined a coalition of agricultural and builder groups petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court ruling that it claims allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to micromanage local land use and development decisions under the guise of the Clean Water Act.

Although the context of the lawsuit relates to the EPA’s so-called “blueprint” for restoring the Chesapeake Bay, it has national implications related to the power and reach of the federal government, NCGA said

“The EPA has consistently pushed the legal limits of the Clean Water Act, with the Chesapeake Bay blueprint and the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule being two of the most recent examples,” said NCGA President Chip Bowling, who farms on the Chesapeake Bay watershed in southern Maryland, U.S.

“When Congress passed the Clean Water Act, its intention was to create balanced, practical policies to protect America’s water resources,” said Bowling. “In both of these cases, the EPA’s actions represent an unlawful expansion of their authority. That’s why we joined this petition on the Chesapeake Bay blueprint, and we are party to a lawsuit challenging the WOTUS rule.”

“We support the goals of the Clean Water Act, and we remain committed to working with the EPA and other stakeholders to protect our water resources.”

To read the petition, click here.