EPA Planning Rule To Clarify 'Assumable' Waters For State 404 Programs

摘要

EPA is planning to craft a rule to clarify what types of waters are "assumable" under the Clean Water Act (CWA) in response to calls from states that clarity is needed for states to win authority to issue section 404 dredge-and-fill permits and to protect existing programs, particularly given confusion created by the agency's pending CWA jurisdiction rule. Speaking to the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) and other state groups earlier this month during a quarterly Office of Water briefing, EPA "reiterated its commitment to working with states, per ECOS' request, on new regulations for state assumption of the dredge and fill program under CWA 404(g)," according to ECOS' July 25 weekly Ecoswire newsletter.