News

Stop the EPA and the Corps' Proposed Rule Redefining "Waters of the U.S."

Action Needed Now – House Vote as Early as Tomorrow, Rule Expected to be Finalized Soon

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) are close to finalizing their proposed rule redefining "waters of the U.S." and making many more areas subject to federal control. More federal control would require nearly all construction sites to obtain often unnecessary Clean Water Act permits. The vast majority of new areas covered by these rules are currently protected by state and local governments so any increase to overall water quality are questionable.

As early as Friday, the House is expected to vote on H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act.  This legislation would send the federal rule back to the drawing board and would require EPA and the Corps to respond to industry’s observations and concerns filed on the April 2014 proposed rule and describe how the agencies are addressing such comments (more than a million comments were filed). In addition, any new proposed rule would have to include a comprehensive analysis of its impact to small business stakeholders, as required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act, as well as an accurate and statistically valid cost-benefit analysis.

Urge your representative to vote "yes" on H.R. 1732, The Regulatory Integrity Protection Act to help protect your construction projects from needless permit costs and delays.

For more information, please contact Scott Berry at berrys@agc.org or (703) 837-5321.