summary
Introduced
04/13/2015
04/13/2015
In Committee
07/14/2016
07/14/2016
Crossed Over
05/13/2015
05/13/2015
Passed
Dead
01/03/2017
01/03/2017
Introduced Session
114th Congress
Bill Summary
Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) This bill requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw, within 30 days, the proposed rule, "Definition of 'Waters of the United States' Under the Clean Water Act," dated April 21, 2014, describing the water bodies that fall under the scope of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act), as well as any final rule based on the proposed rule. (Sec. 3) The Army Corps and the EPA must develop a new proposed rule to define the term, "waters of the United States" as used in that Act. In developing the new rule, the Army Corps and the EPA must meet requirements concerning consultation with states and localities enumerated in this bill. The new rule must specifically identify those waters covered and not covered by the Clean Water Act and incorporate the areas and issues where consensus was reached by the interested parties. The Army Corps and the EPA must prepare a report with details about the new proposed rule and its development, including: (1) explanations of how the rule addresses public comments filed on certain related rules and reports and addresses recommendations provided in the consultation process; and (2) comprehensive regulatory and economic impact analyses of how the rule will impact interested parties and each program under the Clean Water Act. The Army Corps and the EPA must: (1) publish the report, a description of the areas and issues where consensus was reached with the state and local officials consulted, and the new proposed rule; and (2) make them available for public review and comment for at least 180 days. (Sec. 5) Within 90 days of issuing a final rule to define the term, the EPA must determine whether each permit program administered by states under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program, the program to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, and the program regulating the disposal of sewage sludge is in compliance with the rule. States are given two years to bring any noncompliant programs into compliance before the EPA withdraws approval of the state program.
AI Summary
This bill, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015, mandates that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) immediately withdraw a proposed rule from April 2014 that defined "waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act, which is a federal law aimed at regulating water pollution. The bill then requires these agencies to develop a new proposed rule to redefine this term, emphasizing extensive consultation with states, localities, and other stakeholders to reach consensus on which water bodies are covered by the Clean Water Act. This new rule development process must include a detailed report explaining how public comments and stakeholder advice were addressed, along with comprehensive analyses of the rule's economic and regulatory impacts, before being made available for a public comment period of at least 180 days. Finally, after a final rule is issued, the EPA will have 90 days to review state-administered permit programs under the Clean Water Act, such as those regulating pollutant discharges and the disposal of sewage sludge, and states will have two years to comply with the new definition before their programs risk losing federal approval.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources, Transportation and Infrastructure
Sponsors (71)
Bill Shuster (R)*,
Ralph Abraham (R),
Rick Allen (R),
Brad Ashford (D),
Brian Babin (R),
Lou Barletta (R),
Rod Blum (R),
Susan Brooks (R),
Larry Bucshon (R),
John Carter (R),
Chris Collins (R),
K. Michael Conaway (R),
Kevin Cramer (R),
Rick Crawford (R),
Carlos Curbelo (R),
Rodney Davis (R),
Jeff Denham (R),
John Duncan (R),
Blake Farenthold (R),
Stephen Fincher (R),
Chuck Fleischmann (R),
Bob Gibbs (R),
Christopher Gibson (R),
Bob Goodlatte (R),
Paul Gosar (R),
Garret Graves (R),
Sam Graves (R),
Richard Hanna (R),
Cresent Hardy (R),
Andy Harris (R),
Vicky Hartzler (R),
Tim Huelskamp (R),
Duncan Hunter (R),
Evan Jenkins (R),
John Katko (R),
John Kline (R),
Raúl Labrador (R),
Blaine Luetkemeyer (R),
Thomas Massie (R),
David McKinley (R),
Mark Meadows (R),
John Mica (R),
Candice Miller (R),
Markwayne Mullin (R),
Collin Peterson (D),
Bruce Poliquin (R),
Reid Ribble (R),
Tom Rice (R),
Martha Roby (R),
David Roe (R),
Hal Rogers (R),
Todd Rokita (R),
Thomas Rooney (R),
Dennis Ross (R),
David Rouzer (R),
Steve Russell (R),
Mark Sanford (R),
Mike Simpson (R),
Lamar Smith (R),
Elise Stefanik (R),
Marlin Stutzman (R),
G.T. Thompson (R),
Scott Tipton (R),
Fred Upton (R),
David Valadao (R),
Ann Wagner (R),
Jackie Walorski (R),
Mimi Walters (R),
Daniel Webster (R),
Rob Woodall (R),
Don Young (R),
Last Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (on 07/14/2016)
Official Document
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