Battle of Waters of the U.S. Rule Heats Up; Syngenta Up for Grabs

The U.S. House will again attempt to nullify the ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule in 2016. Voting is planned on a Congressional Review Act challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency’s controversial rule in the House next year and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate is in the process of putting a WOTUS repeal on the President’s desk. A resolution to stop the rule and to prohibit any similar future laws passed the Senate in November but never made it to the President’s desk as Obama promised a veto to any legislation against the rule.

Syngenta’s chairman told a Swiss newspaper that the company is indeed in talks with Monsanto and ChemChina along with other rivals, but has yet to receive a concrete takeover offer from those companies. Chairman Michel Demare said the talks continue and that “Given what shareholders expect for the next 12 months, going it alone is hardly possible," Demare said Syngenta's board, which this year opposed a takeover offer from Monsanto, was considering making an acquisition, merging with a rival or selling the company.