Improving Water Quality Certifications and American Energy Infrastructure Act
Sponsored By: Representative Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]
In Committee
Summary
Would tighten and standardize Section 401 water quality certifications around the specific standards in Sections 301–307 and enforce faster, clearer decisions. The bill would limit what states and agencies can consider when granting or denying certifications and require written justifications tied to those statutory provisions.
Show full summary
- States and interstate agencies would have to publish their certification requirements within 30 days and base approvals or denials solely on the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307. They would also be required to notify the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator immediately when they receive a request.
- Project developers and permit applicants would get clearer, faster responses: certifying authorities would need to identify any additional materials needed within 90 days and provide written grounds for granting or denying certification. The standard for denial would be narrowed to a direct discharge that violates an applicable provision.
- The bill would add a definition tying the applicable provisions to specific effluent limits, performance standards, pretreatment standards, and State water quality criteria needed to support a waterbody's designated uses, aligning decisions with those substance-based standards.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Quicker, clearer water certifications for projects
If enacted, states and EPA would judge water certifications only against specific Clean Water Act rules (sections 301, 302, 303, 306, 307). Decisions would focus on whether the project would directly cause a discharge that violates those rules. Agencies would have to give written reasons and publish their certification requirements within 30 days of enactment. They would have to alert EPA right away when a request arrives and, within 90 days, tell the applicant in writing all extra materials needed. This could speed reviews and reduce surprises for project developers, utilities, and farms.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]
NC • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov