Part ofClean Water Act →

FEDERALhearing transcript

High Impact

Senate Hearing on the Navigable Waters Protection Rule

Original title: STAKEHOLDER REACTIONS: THE NAVIGABLE WATERS PROTECTION RULE UNDER THE CLEAN WATER ACT

January 1, 2023

Clean Water Act Navigable Waters Protection Rule Environmental Regulation Land Use Federalism

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

The Frame

What this does

The rule determines which water bodies on private and public land are subject to federal regulation under the Clean Water Act, directly impacting the permitting requirements for landowners, farmers, and businesses.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Landowners and Farmers

The rule changes the criteria for which water features on their property require federal permits.

State Environmental Agencies

These agencies may take on increased responsibility for regulating water bodies that no longer fall under federal jurisdiction.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2023.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing on September 16, 2020, to review the Trump Administration's 'Navigable Waters Protection Rule.' The hearing focused on how this rule, which took effect in June 2020, changes federal oversight of water bodies compared to previous regulations.

Key Facts

The Navigable Waters Protection Rule went into effect in June 2020.
The rule replaces the 2015 'Waters of the United States' rule issued during the Obama administration.
The rule explicitly excludes certain features from federal regulation, such as puddles, prairie potholes, and dry land.
Twenty-three states have expressed support for the rule in court proceedings.
The hearing included testimony from agricultural, business, and state environmental agency representatives.
The committee reviewed the process by which the rule was developed, specifically noting the involvement of the Army Corps of Engineers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Navigable Waters Protection Rule?

It is a federal regulation that defines which water bodies are protected under the Clean Water Act, determining the scope of federal authority over land and water use.

Does this rule apply to my property?

The rule clarifies that federal jurisdiction does not extend to features like puddles, prairie potholes, or dry land, shifting more oversight to state and local authorities.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Regulatory Reversal

The hearing highlights a complete reversal of federal water policy between the 2015 and 2020 administrations.

Navigable Waters Protection Rule

Connected Entities

personJohn Barrasso“Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works”Map →

personRebecca Roose“Director of Water Protection Division, New Mexico Environment Department”Map →

otherNavigable Waters Protection Rule“The 2020 federal rule defining 'waters of the United States'”Map →

personRay Gaesser“Owner-Operator of Gaesser Farms and hearing witness”Map →

personDouglas Davis, Jr.“CEO of Fletcher Davis Company and hearing witness”Map →

personThomas R. Carper“Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance80
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy75
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment20
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz30
Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools