The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday restored the right of states and tribes to block projects on environmental grounds through the federal clean water permitting process, reversing a Trump-era effort to prevent them from doing so.
The agency issued a proposed rule, first announced last May, to revise the 2020 Clean Water Act Section 401 certification rule by strengthening the authority of states, territories, and tribes to protect their water resources and the climate by blocking potentially harmful projects.
“EPA’s proposed rule builds on this foundation by empowering states, territories, and Tribes to use Congressionally granted authority to protect precious water resources while supporting much-needed infrastructure projects that create jobs and bolster our economy,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.
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