By Valerie Volcovici
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Wednesday issued new rules to protect streams and wetlands under the Clean Water Act, a step it said would help keep drinking water safe, but farmers and industry groups argued the regulation will be costly.
The Waters of the United States rule, issued by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, aims to give clarity about which bodies of water the EPA would have jurisdiction.
"This rule responds to the public's demand for greater clarity, consistency, and predictability when making jurisdictional determinations. The result will be better public service nationwide," said Jo-Ellen Darcy, assistant secretary for the Army, Civil Works.
The EPA and Army Corps said they took Wednesday's action after receiving requests for over a decade from members of Congress, state and local officials, environmental and agriculture groups and scientists seeking clarity around what is protected under the Clean Water Act.
"One in three Americans now gets drinking water from streams lacking clear protection, and businesses and industries that depend on clean water face uncertainty and delay, which costs our economy every day," President Barack Obama said in a statement.
Among key elements of the new rule are that it "defines and protects tributaries" that have an impact on downstream waters, and focuses on streams that can carry pollution downstream, not ditches.
Lawmakers from agricultural states blasted the rule, and called on the administration to withdraw or redo it.
"This rule is reckless and unwarranted, and I will work tirelessly to stop this expansion of federal control,? said Republican Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska.
Fischer and a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill last month that would direct the agencies to issue a revised proposal that would set limits on federal regulation of water, require more consultation and an economic analysis.
The American Farm Bureau Federation, the largest farm lobby group in the U.S., said it was still analyzing the rule and aims to issue a thorough evaluation within a week, a spokesman told Reuters. After that it will determine its course of action.
"While we know that farmers and ranchers were dedicated to calling for substantial changes to the rule, we have serious concerns about whether their comments were given full consideration," said Bob Stallman, president of the AFBF. The agencies said they held more than 400 meetings with stakeholders across the country and reviewed over one million public comments.
(Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Alan Crosby)
