'Arbitrary and capricious': Kobach fights proposed EPA rule on meat processing wastewater

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has formed a coalition of 28 state attorneys general to fight a proposed EPA rule that would impact meat and poultry processors.

The proposed rule would see the number of EPA-regulated meat and poultry processing facilities increase from 150 to 3,879 plants in the U.S. Under the rule, the EPA would regulate wastewater discharge or wastewater that goes through city sewage plants before being released.

“This is yet another example of the Biden administration EPA overreaching and damaging rural America in the process,” said Abhishek Kambli, Kansas Deputy Attorney General. “This proposed rule is not only unlawful but imposes crippling regulatory costs on small meat and poultry processing plants whose wastewater discharges do not even go directly into navigable waters to begin with. This is wrong and the EPA should withdraw the proposed rule.”

A letter sent by the coalition expressed concerns over existing regulations being circumvented and increasing costs on local meat processors up to $100 million.

"The attorneys general are asking the EPA to withdraw the rule, because the EPA lacks the clear authority for the proposed regulation," a press release from Kobach's office said. "The attorneys general also argue that the rule exceeds the EPA’s authority under the Clean Water Act."

Attorney General Kobach and Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin lead the coalition. They were joined by attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

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