House Committee Chair Releases New Clean Water Act Bill

Chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, James Oberstar (D-Minn.), released the new House version of the Clean Water Restoration Act today. The new bill, now called America’s Commitment to Clean Water Act (ACCWA), attempts to restore the definition of waters of the U.S. to its previous regulatory definition in 2001. The bill also codifies an exemption for wastewater systems and defines groundwater separately.

Chairman Oberstar emphasized that the bill is “not an expansion of the Clean Water Act” and “simply put, if it was not regulated in 2001, it will not be regulated under this bill.” He indicated he would like the bill to pass the House by September.

Congressman Garamendi (D-10), a new member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, also lent his support to Chairman Oberstar and the legislation. This bill, he said, “restores the efforts made in previous decades to protect the environment.”

House T& I prepared documents describing the new bill are attached.