MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- A judge is letting the American and West Virginia Farm Bureaus intervene in an Eastern Panhandle chicken grower's lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey ruled this week that the case Lois Alt and her Eight is Enough farms brought over alleged violations of the Clean Water Act has implications for both bureaus' members.

They'd argued that a favorable outcome for EPA would obligate chicken farmers nationwide to seek permits they don't all currently need.

Bailey agreed. He also accepted arguments that Alt's case is unique to her situation and might not protect the broader interest of the bureaus' members.

Alt wants to stop EPA from imposing new rules as part of a multi-state effort to clean up Chesapeake Bay, arguing it's overstepping its authority.

Copyright 2012 The AP.