On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final rule limiting Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. The rule limits the scope of environmental reviews that states conduct before issuing permits for projects such as pipelines and hydropower plants. It directs states to narrow their reviews to water quality issues and creates a one-year deadline for states to make decisions. Several Republican lawmakers and industry groups have sought an easier permitting process, decrying a protracted evaluation system which hampers development. EPA proposed the rule in August following directions from President Trump’s “Promoting Energy Infrastructure and Economic Growth” executive order.
