The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to change Clean Water Act regulations aimed at “streamlining the approval process for permits that are the sticking point for major pipelines and other major infrastructure projects.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, the proposed change is aimed at “bolstering federal authority,” and at preventing states from overstepping their authority. The proposal also targets states like New York that have used the Clean Water Act in decisions that have blocked or delayed pipeline projects, according to EPA officials.
Some analysts believe the move could have limited impact because states still have authority under other statutes to slow permit reviews.
According to the WSJ, the proposed change would more clearly put a one-year deadline into agency policy that applies to states that have authority under the Clean Water Act. If they miss the deadline or cite another rationale for a rejection, their authority could be waved.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
