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H.R. 1152 118th Congress House

Water Quality Certification and Energy Project Improvement Act of 2023

Official title: To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to make changes with respect to water quality certification, and for other purposes.

Introduced: February 28, 2023 Introduced by: David Rouzer Republican · North Carolina See on congress.gov
Environmental Protection Administrative law and regulatory proceduresEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)Environmental regulatory proceduresLicensing and registrations
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State and local government operationsWater quality
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This bill died when the 118th Congress ended
It never became law before the 118th Congress (2023–2024) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 8 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 17, 2023
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 5.
Mar 17, 2023
Reported by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 118-10.
Feb 28, 2023
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Feb 28, 2023
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Feb 28, 2023
Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Discharged.
Feb 27, 2023
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Feb 24, 2023
Introduced in House
Feb 24, 2023
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
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 Latest action March 17, 2023

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 5.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Water Quality Certification and Energy Project Improvement Act of 2023

This bill revises the water quality certification process under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) for any activity that requires a federal license or permit and may result in a discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States. Activities that require such federal licenses or permits include hydropower, natural gas pipeline, or mining projects.

Under the existing Section 401, an applicant for a federal license or permit to conduct such activities must provide the federal licensing or permitting agency with a certification. The certification must attest that the discharge will comply with enumerated sections of the CWA (i.e., Sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307) and with any other appropriate requirement of state law set forth in the certification. The certifying authority—usually the state in which the discharge originates, but sometimes an Indian tribe or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—may grant, grant with conditions, deny, or waive certification of a proposed federal license or permit.

This bill limits the scope of the certification process by eliminating the requirement that the discharge comply with appropriate state law set forth in the certification. It also requires decisions to grant or deny a request for certification to be based only on the enumerated sections of the CWA and provisions of state law that implement water quality criteria under Section 303. In addition, it also limits the certification process to activities that may directly result in a discharge into waters of the United States.

In addition, the bill requires certifying authorities to identify all materials or information that are necessary to grant or deny the request within 90 days of receiving a request for certification. They must also publish requirements for their water quality certifications.

 Related & companion bills 3
  • HR 1 Lower Energy Costs Act
  • S 947 Lower Energy Costs Act
  • HR 2811 Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023
 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Lobbying activity 16

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

Bodies those filers lobbied

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 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Republican 1
R
Perry, Scott
Pennsylvania · Feb 28, 2023
Graves, Garret
· Feb 24, 2023
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1152: Water Quality Certification and Energy Project Improvement Act of 2023. 118th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-1152/
MLA
"H.R. 1152: Water Quality Certification and Energy Project Improvement Act of 2023." 118th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-1152/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1152, 118th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-1152/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1152: Water Quality Certification and Energy Project Improvement Act of 2023](https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-1152/)
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