Business groups are lining up to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a new rule they say dramatically expands the reach of the Clean Water Act, with at least 16 organizations filing two separate lawsuits.

At issue is a new rule spelling out what kinds of waterways fall under Clean Water Act protection. Business groups contend the rule represents an overreach of agency authority. EPA argues the rule provides a scientific rationale for determining what waterways are protected.

Even before the lawsuits, the two sides engaged in a prolonged public relations fight about what the rule really means. The American Farm Bureau Federation launched a "Ditch the Rule" campaign claiming the new rule would regulate puddles, ponds, ditches and isolated wetlands. EPA responded with a "Ditch the Myth" document that refuted AFBF's claims point by point, Modern Farmer magazine reported. http://bit.ly/1HZRgTd

AFBF was among a dozen agriculture and industry groups that announced July 2 they were suing EPA and the Corps.

"AFBF filed this lawsuit to do everything we can to protect the interests of farmers and ranchers, but litigation is not a quick or perfect fix," AFBF General Counsel Ellen Steen said. "It is long, cumbersome and expensive, and it leaves farmers and others facing immediate harm and uncertainty under this rule."

The association is instead pushing for Congress to pass legislation overturning the rule.

Agriculture groups are not the only ones unhappy with the rule. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, Portland Cement Association and two Oklahoma business groups announced they had filed a separate, second lawsuit Monday.

"EPA's regulatory overreach harms American enterprise by creating a vague rule to be implemented within a technically complex, expensive and time-consuming permitting process that will cause unnecessary expense and delay, and force many of our members to walk away from valuable business ventures," U.S. Chamber Senior Vice President of Environment, Technology, & Regulatory Affairs William Kovacs said.

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