The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) has proposed a resolution to halt the development of a statewide regulatory program to control waste discharges from grazing operations. The program, known as the Grazing Regulatory Action Project (GRAP), was initiated in late 2014 with a series of invitation-only stakeholder meetings with ranchers, scientists, tribes, and the environmental community, followed by meetings to take input from the general public. While the State Water Board never formally released draft regulations, the program was met with widespread opposition from RCRC and other stakeholders, including ranchers, farmers, and other local government organizations who contended that there was no scientific basis for regulations on grazing operations.
The State Water Board is currently accepting written comments on the proposed resolution to halt the development of GRAP, with all comments due by noon on September 3, 2015. The State Water Board is scheduled to consider the resolution for adoption at its September 16, 2015 hearing in Sacramento.
Detailed information on GRAP and the proposed resolution can be accessed here.