Proposed EPA Rules Could Limit State And Tribal Power To Block Infrastructure Projects

The Trump administration is proposing new rules that would limit state and tribal power to block projects that they deem harmful to water quality.

The rules specifically would restrict these non-federal governments’ authority to review the water quality impacts of projects that require a federal permit or license. These projects range from pipelines to hydropower facilities to dredging — any development that result in “discharge” into U.S. waters.

Under the Clean Water Act, states have the power to regulate water quality within their borders. In Oregon, that authority falls to the Department of Environmental Quality.