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<bill bill-type="olc" bill-stage="Introduced-in-Senate" dms-id="A1" public-private="public" slc-id="S1-MAZ23434-DTV-XV-V2G"><metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
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<dc:title>118 S3082 IS: Water Quality Certification Improvement Act of 2023</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. Senate</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2023-10-19</dc:date>
<dc:format>text/xml</dc:format>
<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">II</distribution-code><congress>118th CONGRESS</congress><session>1st Session</session><legis-num>S. 3082</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES</current-chamber><action><action-date date="20231019">October 19, 2023</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="S317">Mr. Barrasso</sponsor> (for himself, <cosponsor name-id="S375">Mr. Daines</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="S410">Ms. Lummis</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="S398">Mr. Cramer</cosponsor>, and <cosponsor name-id="S423">Mr. Ricketts</cosponsor>) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the <committee-name committee-id="SSEV00">Committee on Environment and Public Works</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title>To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to make changes with respect to water quality certification, and for other purposes.</official-title></form><legis-body style="OLC" display-enacting-clause="yes-display-enacting-clause" id="H602CC4E881994A318030F903960E0BA5"><section section-type="section-one" id="H557AB691513C45D1ABE124C373AFC32D"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Water Quality Certification Improvement Act of 2023</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section id="H265F5BEEF61C4547BFD68763484ECB82"><enum>2.</enum><header>Certification</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 401 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/33/1341">33 U.S.C. 1341</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H74CAD405048B46B9BCEC8148C7D523C8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)—</text><subparagraph id="HE1C0D2E51FF9444790608C228DFA042A"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)—</text><clause id="HBF73E362FD694AF7AEE9D9AA887BB7F1"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in the first sentence—</text><subclause id="H862632A6C005407E8FBFA54C51D32598"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>by the applicant</quote> after <quote>any discharge</quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause id="HBB4835FCB8FD42D6AF94B0F4910B2941"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>as a result of the federally licensed or permitted activity</quote> after <quote>into the navigable waters</quote>;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="H0E42C975221C4D5EB200F66D7FC3230E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in the second sentence, by striking <quote>activity</quote> and inserting <quote>discharge</quote>;</text></clause><clause id="HBB5E9920EB1C45F2BB5E0353E185BFE7"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>in the third sentence, by striking <quote>applications</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>requests</quote>;</text></clause><clause id="H3F0FD5894E46471887C3B6D41436D17A"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>in the fifth sentence, by striking <quote>act on</quote> and inserting <quote>grant or deny</quote>; and</text></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB45A83B099A346BC9501AE9F78786FE0"><enum>(v)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting after the fourth sentence the following: <quote>The certifying State, interstate agency, or Administrator shall publish the requirements for certification that meet the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307. The decision to grant or deny a request shall be based only on the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307 and the grounds for a decision shall be set forth in writing to the applicant.</quote>;</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF37E597B48DC4D0087C262022A863DF6"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)—</text><clause id="H484D14EDD5ED4671B22D2406D23ED220"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in the second sentence—</text><subclause id="H44A6A254956E46E498EE558F84F9E959"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by striking <quote>such a discharge</quote> and inserting <quote>a discharge made into the navigable waters by the applicant as described in paragraph (1)</quote>;</text></subclause><subclause id="H990E1BD2ED744DADA80F8D346654BA55"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>receipt of the</quote> before <quote>notice</quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause id="H33B234A7C92D489F88A1333067792A43"><enum>(III)</enum><text>by striking <quote>of application for such Federal license or permit</quote> and inserting <quote>under the preceding sentence</quote>;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="H38CF1225CC7741BC8598AC424BF25630"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in the third sentence—</text><subclause id="HC10600CA24D74B268C09053AD2253BD4"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by striking <quote>such discharge</quote> and inserting <quote>any discharge made into the navigable waters by the applicant as described in paragraph (1)</quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause id="H5A3A7A5FFAB247D5ACE126B758456173"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by striking <quote>any water quality requirement</quote> and inserting <quote>the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307</quote>;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="H480514E448024103B36A42F56A3A0925"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>in the fifth sentence, by striking <quote>insure compliance with applicable water quality requirements.</quote> and inserting <quote>ensure any discharge into the navigable waters by the applicant as described in paragraph (1) will comply with the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307.</quote>; and</text></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2A90A783E2AD4BCB8269060F5550086D"><enum>(iv)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking the first sentence and inserting <quote>Not later than 90 days after receipt of a request for certification, the certifying State, interstate agency, or Administrator shall identify in writing all specific additional materials or information that are necessary to make a final decision on a request for certification. On receipt of a request for certification, the certifying State or interstate agency, as applicable, shall immediately notify the Administrator of the request.</quote>;</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE39AAA2D4CDA4333B0D3198C28BC1110"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in paragraph (3)—</text><clause id="H84075835602545E6BCA5DAD5406B1DA9"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in the first sentence, by striking <quote>there will be compliance</quote> and inserting <quote>a discharge made into the navigable waters by the applicant as described in paragraph (1) will comply</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="H567CE7159E00445C8BC8D0B746E74734"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in the second sentence—</text><subclause id="H0A7068FE810E450192C288A679E0AAFB"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by striking <quote>section</quote> and inserting <quote>the applicable provisions of sections</quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause id="HAC05F6EE0C0847C59B96BE4CF61A5F85"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by striking <quote>or 307 of this Act</quote> and inserting <quote>and 307</quote>;</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H4CD953EB03D34233B30638C08ED52A16"><enum>(D)</enum><text>in paragraph (4)—</text><clause id="H5533346141B74D838FBCD588FE7C773B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in the first sentence, by striking <quote>applicable effluent limitations</quote> and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting <quote>any discharge made by the applicant into the navigable waters as described in paragraph (1) will not violate the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307.</quote>;</text></clause><clause id="HE558E163C0DC454889BCB7CE409B7CB7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in the second sentence, by striking <quote>will violate applicable effluent limitations or other limitations or other water quality requirements such Federal</quote> and inserting <quote>will result in a discharge made into the navigable waters by the applicant as described in paragraph (1) that violates the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307, the Federal</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="H7C9933EE45954E28B1B9BA5D4798A30D"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>in the third sentence—</text><subclause id="H7EF79C345B194762B33E8A4F7918A0C5"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by striking <quote>such facility or activity</quote> and inserting <quote>a discharge made by the applicant into the navigable waters as described in paragraph (1)</quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause id="H1648BFBCF81943B7A23AFC8C41A03038"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by striking <quote>section 301, 302, 303, 306, or 307 of this Act</quote> and inserting <quote>sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307</quote>; and</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HAE7A52DC399D45A89B64DEF27A311EC3"><enum>(E)</enum><text>in paragraph (5)—</text><clause id="H339C80EC18A74F2BB7B0210A05F0CCDE"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by striking <quote>such facility or activity has been operated in</quote> and inserting <quote>any discharge made by the applicant into the navigable waters as described in paragraph (1) is in</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="H1306A45DA9094B9D84CDD4D881875234"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by striking <quote>section 301, 302, 303, 306, or 307 of this Act</quote> and inserting <quote>sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307</quote>;</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H31AA3AFAA6F04BE4B9AA4916D9FA41FC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (d), by striking <quote>assure that any applicant for a Federal license or permit will comply with any applicable</quote> and inserting the following: “ensure that any discharge made by the applicant into the navigable waters as described in subsection (a)(1) shall comply with the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307. Any limitations or requirements in the preceding sentence shall become a condition on any Federal license or permit subject to the provisions of this section.</text><quoted-block style="OLC" act-name="display-inline=&quot;yes-display-inline&quot;" id="HD10234A31BEC4CFC9E6ACCD5E8BBDF75"><subsection id="H510CE45CCB63451781886FE55CC9F88B"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definition of applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307</header><text>In this section, the term <quote>applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307</quote> means, as applicable,</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="HD8102677A0854A9FAD9E8C16EE2F199B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection (e) (as so redesignated)—</text><subparagraph id="H72C71F71FF1C4A75BCFF52AA1EA70509"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>with</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE0CB338234534DE185B94E1E4951E449"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>other appropriate</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDCA2EF2A82D44F97B02EC4FA775AED4A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by striking <quote>set forth</quote> and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting <quote>implementing water quality criteria under section 303 necessary to support the specified designated use or uses of the receiving navigable water.</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></section></legis-body></bill> 

