On July 3, ABC sent a letter in support of H.R.3898, the Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today Act. The letter urges the U.S. House of Representatives to advance the legislation, providing much-needed, commonsense reforms to the Clean Water Act.

Among the many essential provisions in the PERMIT Act, ABC particularly supports:

• Clarifying the Definition of WOTUS: Explicitly excluding groundwater and ephemerals that flow in direct response to precipitation from the definition of Waters of the United States reduces expansive interpretations of WOTUS and limitations on construction taking place on such land.
• Expediting Jurisdictional Determinations: Directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite procedures and augment personnel and resources will help eliminate the backlog of jurisdictional determinations and Section 404 applications.
• Extending and Streamlining the Section 404 Dredge and Fill Permit Process: Extending nationwide general permit times from five to 10 years may enable contractors to complete projects within the permitted time frame. Further, allowing the use of environmental assessments for the reissuance of permits will streamline permitting for already approved projects.
• Extending NPDES Permit Terms: Extending the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit time from five to 10 years provides longer validity for construction permits.
• Ensuring Permitted Projects Move Forward: Establishing that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to deny or restrict the use of a defined space as a disposal site is limited to the period between a completed application and permit issuance will reduce the risk of late-stage permit cancellation.

ABC also signed onto the Waters Advocacy Coalition’s letter to the House Rules Committee, urging the committee and House to advance the legislation, delivering clarity and certainty for landowners and the regulated community.