H.R. 3898
PERMIT Act
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today Act or the PERMIT Act
This bill limits the scope of the Clean Water Act by redefining navigable waters to exclude (1) waste treatment systems, (2) ephemeral features that flow only in direct response to precipitation, (3) prior converted cropland, (4) groundwater, or (5) any other features determined to be excluded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Text of the bill
(a) In general. The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall establish a voluntary pilot program to support State-led water quality improvements in waters listed as impaired for nitrogen or phosphorus under section 303(d) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1313(d)).
(b) Voluntary participation. Participation by agricultural producers in the program established under this section shall be voluntary.
(c) Savings clause. Nothing in this section may be construed to authorize the regulation of nonpoint sources or expand Federal jurisdiction.