On July 17th, Reps. Steve Chabot (R-OH), Mike Simpson (R-ID), and Sam Graves (R-MO) introduced H.R. 2707, the Clean Water Compliance and Ratepayer Affordability Act of 2013. The bill that would provide local communities the flexibility to use innovative and cost-effective approaches to federal Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance, either under an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) CWA permit or court-approved consent decree. The bill would create a pilot program for 15 communities across the country to transparently work with the EPA to develop new, more flexible ways for communities to meet CWA compliance goals under the agency’s new Integrated Planning and Permitting Framework.
H.R. 2707 facilitates flexible compliance solutions by providing the EPA with the direction and authority to work cooperatively and collaboratively with pilot communities to: lengthen the terms of Clean Water Act permits to up to 20 years; adjust implementation plans under consent decrees; take into account worsening economic conditions affecting a community’s ability to afford wet weather investments; and strengthen a community’s ability to use innovative and adaptive approaches to solve wet weather problems.
The immediate need for this legislation could not be more pressing as many communities across the nation, currently reeling from the strain of high unemployment, stagnant economic conditions, and the housing crisis, grapple with unfunded federal mandates for water infrastructure improvements to meet stringent CWA requirements. While reducing and eliminating sewer overflows and ensuring stormwater flows do not pollute waterways should be our primary goal, allowing communities to use new, cost effective methods, such as “green” infrastructure and adaptive management, to accomplish these tasks can reduce costs while fixing the problems at hand. The legislation directs the EPA to provide these struggling communities with the flexibility and realistic timelines to plan, implement and assess results in a transparent, integrated process in order to inform future investments in clean water projects.
The Perfect Storm Coalition, made up of communities facing these daunting mandates, has lobbied for the introduction of H.R. 2707 for the past several years, and looks forward to congressional hearings on the legislation. The Coalition is also working with the Senate to introduce a companion bill. If your community is concerned about massive investments in clean water infrastructure required by the EPA or the courts to meet CWA regulatory mandates, please consider joining the Coalition and pushing for the bipartisan adoption and enactment of this important legislation.
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