Bill > S1087

This bill, the Water Quality Certification Improvement Act of 2019, aims to limit the authority of states with respect to water quality certifications. Specifically, it seeks to restrict the ability of states to review federally permitted activities that may result in discharges into navigable waters. The bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to modify the language around water quality certification, clarifying that the decision to grant or deny a certification request must be based solely on the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307 of the Act, and the grounds for the decision must be set forth in writing to the applicant. Additionally, the bill specifies that the "applicable provisions" refer to the water quality criteria under section 303 necessary to support the designated use or uses of the receiving navigable water.