Abalimi, izazi zezolimo namahlathi, onjiniyela bezolimo, abanikazi bamapulazi, nososayensi abasebenza kwezolimo kungenzeka babe nesithakazelo esinqumweni senkantolo sakamuva esiphathelene nomthetho Wamanzi Wase-United States (WOTUS). Ngomhlaka-12 Ephreli, iJaji lesiFunda saseNyakatho Dakota uDaniel Hovland wanikeza isimemezelo sokuqala ngokumelene nomthetho we-WOTUS wabaphathi beBiden, ochaza ukuthi yimaphi “amanzi okuhamba emanzini” angaphansi kwemithetho kahulumeni ngaphansi koMthetho Wamanzi Ahlanzekile. Lesi sinqumo siza ngemuva kokuthi uMengameli uBiden evotele umthethosivivinywa obizwa nge-bipartisan, bicameral ngeledlule owawufuna ukuthi i-WOTUS ichithwe.
Ngokwe-Daily Caller News Foundation, umthetho we-WOTUS uvumela i-Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ukuthi ifune igunya lokulawula phezu kwezindawo ezinemifudlana emincane namaxhaphozi, okuyinto izifundazwe eziningi nabanikazi bezindawo abazibona njengokwephulwa kwamalungelo abo okuzimela. Lesi sinqumo siwukuwina ezifundazweni ezingama-24 ezamangalela i-EPA ngalo mthetho ngoFebhuwari, zithi lokhu kuyingozi ebukhosini bazo futhi kufana nokulimala okungalungiseki. Inkantolo ithole ukuthi izifundazwe ezithintekayo ecaleni zizosebenzisa izinsiza ezingabuyiseki ezithobela umthetho okungenzeka ukuthi zikwazi ukumelana nokucutshungulwa yinkantolo.
Ummeli Jikelele waseMissouri u-Andrew Bailey kanye noMmeli Jikelele wase-Indiana u-Todd Rokita bobabili basishayele ihlombe lesi sinqumo, bethi umthetho we-WOTUS uwukuphucwa umhlaba ongqubuzana nomthethosisekelo oqhwaga amalungelo abalimi okulawula impahla yabo. Baphinde baphawula ukuthi lesi sinqumo sizosindisa abanikazi bomhlaba ekubeni benze ukuhlolwa okumba eqolo noma bayeke imisebenzi yabo.
Naphezu kwalesi sinqumo sakamuva, indaba yokuthi yini ehlanganisa amanzi okuhamba imikhumbi isalokhu ingacacile, ishiya zonke izifundazwe ziqhubeka nokubhukuda emanzini okungaqiniseki, okungaqondakali, nezinxushunxushu kuze kube yilapho isinqumo seNkantolo Ephakeme esisalindile ecaleni lika-Sackett v. EPA sixazulula lolu daba. I-EPA ayizange isiphendule ngokushesha esicelweni sokuphawula.
Isinqumo senkantolo sakamuva esivimba umthetho we-WOTUS yabaphathi be-Biden siwukuwina kwabalimi, onjiniyela bezolimo kanye nabanikazi bamapulazi abakubona njengokwephulwa kwamalungelo abo okuzimela. Nakuba lesi sinqumo sinikeza impumuzo yesikhashana, indaba yokuthi amanzi angahamba kanjani ayikaxazululeki, okushiya abaningi embonini yezolimo besesimweni sokungaqiniseki.