NSSGA continues effort to derail federal water guidance

The bipartisan House bill, H.R. 4965, that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from finalizing, adopting, implementing, administering or enforcing the Clean Water Jurisdictional Guidance now pending at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), is expected to be marked up by the full U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure early next month, says the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA).

Chief sponsors of the bill are committee chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) and senior committee Democrat Nick Joe Rahall (D-W.Va.). The two are joined by a bipartisan group of more than 30 colleagues.

The Waters Advocacy Coalition, of which NSSGA is a steering committee member, continues efforts to build bipartisan sponsorship of the legislation. NSSGA has expressed opposition to the guidance in written comments to both EPA and the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). NSSGA has also met with OIRA officials twice to share its concerns.

The association says it will continue its efforts to derail the water guidance, which it says would adversely impact aggregates operations by extending federal jurisdiction over all waters of the United States.