An attorney for the American Farm Bureau Federation says environmental groups are mischaracterizing their court challenge of the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay restoration strategy.

AFB attorney Ellen Steen also says the federation has not yet reviewed a motion to intervene by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other groups and has not decided whether or not it opposes the motion.

The attorney says the organization is not fighting to stop or slow restoration efforts, but believes the EPA has overstepped its authority and the states should be driving the effort. The federation sued the EPA in January. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other environmental groups announced Wednesday that they are asking a federal judge to allow them to join the court fight in support of the EPA strategy.

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