Preserve the Waters of the United States Act

Bill: 113-s-1006
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Introduced: 2013-05-22
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Army Corps of Engineers

Department of Defense

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Environmental regulatory procedures

Water quality
Latest action: action_date: 2013-05-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-05-22
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Preserve the Waters of the United States Act - Prohibits the Secretary of the Army and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from: (1) finalizing the proposed guidance described in the notice of availability and request for comments entitled "EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Guidance Regarding Identification of Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act"; or (2) using such guidance, or any substantially similar guidance, as the basis for any decision regarding the scope of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) or any rulemaking. Provides that the use of such guidance as the basis for any rule shall be grounds for vacation of such rule. </p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1006 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 22, 2013 Mr. Barrasso (for himself, Mr. Sessions , Mr. Vitter , Mr. Crapo , Mr. Inhofe , Mr. Blunt , Mr. Coats , Mr. Risch , Ms. Murkowski , Mr. Grassley , Mr. Wicker , Mr. Rubio , Mr. Enzi , Mr. Heller , Mr. Roberts , Mr. Hatch , Mr. McCain , Mr. Lee , Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin , Mrs. Fischer , Mr. Chambliss , Mr. Burr , Mr. Isakson , Mr. Scott , Mr. Flake , Mr. Cornyn , and Mr. Coburn ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works A BILL To preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the United States.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Preserve the Waters of the United States Act . 2. Identification of waters protected by the Clean Water Act (a) In general Neither the Secretary of the Army nor the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall— (1) finalize the proposed guidance described in the notice of availability and request for comments entitled EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Guidance Regarding Identification of Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act (EPA–HQ–OW–2011–0409) (76 Fed. Reg. 24479 (May 2, 2011)); or (2) use the guidance described in paragraph (1), or any substantially similar guidance, as the basis for any decision regarding the scope of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq. ) or any rulemaking. (b) Rules The use of the guidance described in subsection (a)(1), or any substantially similar guidance, as the basis for any rule shall be grounds for vacation of the rule.