PERMIT Act

Key Points

• This bill changes how the government handles water pollution permits to make building infrastructure faster. It doubles the length of certain water permits from 5 years to 10 years, meaning businesses and cities would not have to re-apply for permission as often.
• The policy streamlines the approval process for 'linear' projects like pipelines, power lines, and roads. For these projects, the government would use faster 'nationwide' permits if the environmental impact is below a certain size, such as 3 acres for power lines or half an acre for pipelines.
• The bill limits which waters the federal government can regulate. It specifically excludes 'ephemeral' streams that only flow after it rains, groundwater, and certain agricultural lands from federal oversight. It also prevents the government from requiring permits for agricultural runoff caused by rain or for certain pesticides already approved for sale.
• It sets a strict 60-day deadline for people or groups to file lawsuits against new water permits. If a court finds a mistake in how a permit was issued, it generally cannot cancel the permit unless there is an immediate and serious danger to human health or the environment.
• When setting water quality standards, the government would now have to consider whether the necessary cleanup technology is actually available in the U.S. and how much it costs, rather than just focusing on environmental goals.