FRESHER Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-4778
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-8]
Introduced: 2023-07-20
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Agricultural conservation and pollution

Agricultural practices and innovations

Congressional oversight

Environmental assessment, monitoring, research

Licensing and registrations

Oil and gas

Water quality
Latest action: action_date: 2023-07-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4778 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 20, 2023 Mr. Cartwright (for himself, Ms. Barragán , Mr. Beyer , Mr. Blumenauer , Ms. Bonamici , Ms. Clarke of New York , Mr. Cohen , Mr. Connolly , Ms. DeGette , Mr. DeSaulnier , Ms. Eshoo , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Huffman , Mr. Khanna , Mr. Lynch , Ms. Meng , Mr. Morelle , Mr. Nadler , Mrs. Napolitano , Ms. Norton , Mr. Pocan , Ms. Schakowsky , Mr. Schiff , Mr. Sherman , Mr. Smith of Washington , Ms. Tlaib , Mr. Vargas , and Ms. Velázquez ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study with respect to stormwater runoff from oil and gas operations, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Focused Reduction of Effluence and Stormwater runoff through Hydrofracking Environmental Regulation Act of 2023 or the FRESHER Act of 2023 . 2. Stormwater runoff from oil, gas, and mining operations (a) Limitation on permit requirement Section 402(l) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1342 ) is amended by striking paragraph (2) and redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2). (b) Definitions Section 502 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1362 ) is amended— (1) by striking paragraph (24); and (2) by redesignating paragraphs (25) through (27) as paragraphs (24) through (26), respectively. (c) Study (1) In general The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a study of stormwater impacts with respect to any area that the Secretary determines may be contaminated by stormwater runoff associated with oil or gas operations, which shall include— (A) an analysis of measurable contamination in such area; (B) an analysis of ground water resources in such area; and (C) an analysis of the susceptibility of aquifers in such area to contamination from stormwater runoff associated with such operations. (2) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the results of studies conducted under paragraph (1).