Advocates Warn EPA Withdrawal Of CAFO Rule Sets Bad APA Precedent

Environmentalists say EPA's withdrawal of a proposed Clean Water Act (CWA) livestock reporting rule sets a bad precedent expanding the agency's ability to scrap rules based on speculative reasoning, which advocates argue is beyond the scope of the limited Administrative Procedure Act (APA) parameters allowing agencies to withdraw rules. EPA justified the withdrawal in part due to its concerns over industry non-compliance with the concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) reporting rule requirements, as well as a plan to gather more...