# Understanding the PERMIT Act

The PERMIT Act makes changes to which water bodies are protected under federal pollution laws. Right now, the federal government regulates pollution in "navigable waters," which includes not just rivers and lakes you can boat on, but also smaller waterways, wetlands, and seasonal streams that connect to larger water systems. This bill narrows that definition by specifically excluding certain types of water features from federal protection.

The bill removes federal oversight from five categories of water: treatment systems like ponds designed to clean wastewater, streams that only flow after rain, land that used to be farmland but is no longer actively farmed, groundwater, and anything else the Environmental Protection Agency or Army Corps of Engineers decides to exclude. In practical terms, this means developers, farmers, and businesses would face fewer federal regulations when working near or affecting these water features. For example, a farmer could drain a seasonal stream on their property without needing a federal permit, or a construction company could modify land that was previously used for crops with less federal oversight.

The potential consequences depend on where you live and what you care about. Environmental groups worry this could lead to more pollution in smaller waterways and wetlands that eventually feed into major rivers and drinking water sources. Farmers and developers argue the current rules are overly complicated and expensive, and this bill would reduce red tape and permitting delays for their projects. The real impact will depend on how strictly the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers use their authority to decide what counts as excluded water—they could interpret this narrowly or broadly, which would significantly affect how much protection remains.

PERMIT Act

Collins, Mike

Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today Act or the PERMIT ActThis bill limits the scope of the Clean Water Act by redefining navigable waters to exclude (1) waste treatment systems, (2) ephemeral features that flow only in direct response to precipitation, (3) prior converted cropland, (4) groundwater, or (5) any other features determined to be excluded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.