Press Releases

Seven Members of the Congressional Western Caucus led key provisions featured in the Clean Water Act reform package advanced by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee yesterday.
 
Chairman Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) led the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act which ensures that aerial fire retardant remains available for wildfire suppression efforts without being tied up in Clean Water Act permitting delays.
 
“Firefighters shouldn’t have to wait on a permit to fight a fire,” said Chairman LaMalfa. “With wildfire racing toward homes and forests, limiting or delaying the use of fire retardant due to waiting for bureaucracy to permit it is backward logic that gets people hurt and leaves entire landscapes scorched. Aerial retardant has been used safely for decades. What these lawsuits and delays really do is handcuff the very people trying to stop disaster. I’m glad to see this bill pass through committee, and I’ll keep working to make sure our firefighters can do their jobs without interference from fringe lawsuits or red tape.”
 
Vice Chair Pete Stauber (MN-08) led the Reducing Permitting Uncertainty Act which prevents the EPA from vetoing a Section 404 dredge and fill permit before an application has been filed or after a permit has already been issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 
 
“For too long, the Clean Water Act has been misused by radical activists to delay or block essential energy and infrastructure projects,” said Vice Chair Stauber. “This has come at an incredible cost to many communities across the country which is why Congress must reform the Clean Water Act. This week, we took an essential step to do just that with committee passage of the PERMIT Act, and I was especially proud to see my Reducing Permitting Uncertainty Act included in this legislative package. I look forward to seeing this bill curb EPA overreach and provide more certainty in the permitting process overall.”
 
Vice Chair Jeff Hurd (CO-03) led the Jurisdictional Determination Backlog Reduction Act to require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to eliminate the backlog of jurisdictional determinations and pending applications for Clean Water Act Section 404 dredge and fill permits.
 
“Delays in permit approvals are stalling key infrastructure projects in Colorado and across the nation,” said Vice Chair Hurd. “This bill pushes the Army Corps to clear this backlog so communities can get moving on critical projects without unnecessary delays.”
 
Representative Rick Crawford (AR-01) led the Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship (FUELS) Act to ease burdens on America’s farmers and ranchers by raising the exemption level for a single container of up to 10,000 gallons of fuel, while adjusting the aggregate level for an entire production facility to 42,000 gallons. 
 
“I am very appreciative of Chairman Sam Graves including my bill, the FUELS Act, in the PERMIT Act that passed out of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee on June 25^th,” said Rep. Crawford. “The Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today (PERMIT) Act effectively cuts red tape, streamlines reviews, and provides a common-sense and targeted effort to reform the permitting process under the Clean Water Act. The Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship (FUELS) Act strengthens this underlying goal by easing EPA rule overreach on small farmers and ranchers by increasing the exempted oil storage tank limit required to be certify by costly EPA mandates. With the passage of this bill, Congress is helping to reduce the regulatory burden on Farmers and Ranchers to help them focus on what matters: growing good food for the American people.”
 
Representative Dusty Johnson (SD-AL) led a provision to encourage states to engage with and utilize the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council’s (FPISC) online permitting dashboard program for Clean Water Act authorities.
 
“Clean water is essential for economic growth, but the Clean Water Act imposes overly burdensome regulations and America’s permitting process is slow and antiquated,” said Rep. Johnson. “My provision encourages states and localities to utilize an online dashboard to increase transparency and collaboration during these environmental reviews, all while improving efficiency.”
 
Representative Burgess Owens (UT-03) led the Water Quality Criteria Development and Transparency Act, which instates greater transparency in the development of water quality criteria by the EPA often used for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.
 
“For too long, the EPA has issued water rules with no transparency and no regard for the families, farmers, and job creators impacted most,” said Rep. Owens. “My Water Quality Criteria Development and Transparency Act gives them a real voice in the process, because water policy should be driven by facts and accountability, not unelected bureaucrats behind closed doors. I’m proud to see this commonsense bill clear the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and will keep fighting to get it across the finish line.”
 
Representative David Rouzer (NC-07) featured three bills in the package. The Improving Water Quality Certifications and American Energy Infrastructure Act addresses the weaponization of the water quality certification process by clarifying that the scope of Section 401 approvals is limited to only impacts to water quality and by clarifying procedural guardrails and requirements on states as they process requests for certification to prevent future abuses.  The Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act eliminates a duplicative regulatory process at the EPA for the use of pesticides, saving taxpayer money and reducing regulatory burdens on pesticide users, while maintaining the same level of environmental protection. And the Nationwide Permitting Improvement Act codifies longstanding, historical interpretation and practice around the Nationwide Permit (NWP) process and provides clarity regarding several areas where challenges have risen against the well-established process. 
 
"I am pleased to see the PERMIT Act advancing in the 119th Congress. Everyday Americans should not be burdened by unnecessary red tape and uncertainty while trying to grow their business and contribute to our economy," said Rep. Rouzer. "I would like to express my gratitude to Chairman Graves for his leadership throughout this process. This legislation will have a significant, positive impact for our communities, farm families and small businesses in North Carolina."