,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #aidh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #ac1 #bjac ,mr4 ,mica 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,rahall1 and ,mr4 ,gibbs7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act to preserve the authority of each ,state to make determinations relating to the ,state's water quality standards1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,clean ,water ,cooperative ,federalism ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,state water quality standards 7a7 ,state water quality standards ,section #cjc7;c77#d7 of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #acac7;c77#d77 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 as clauses 7i7 and 7ii71 respectively2 7#b7 by striking 7#d7 and inserting 7#d77;,a72 7#c7 by striking ,the ,administrator shall promulgate and inserting the following3 7,b7 ,the ,administrator shall promulgate 2 and 7#d7 by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 ,notwithstanding subparagraph 7,a77ii71 the ,administrator may not promulgate a revised or new standard for a pollutant in any case in which the ,state has submitted to the ,administrator and the ,administrator has approved a water quality standard for that pollutant1 unless the ,state concurs with the ,administrator's determination that the revised or new standard is necessary to meet the requirements of this ,act4 4 7b7 ,federal licenses and permits ,section #dja7;a7 of such ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #acda7;a77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#g7 ,with respect to any discharge1 if a ,state or interstate agency having jurisdiction over the navigable waters at the point where the discharge originates or will originate determines under paragraph 7#a7 that the discharge will comply with the applicable provisions of sections #cja1 #cjb1 #cjc1 #cjf1 and #cjg1 the ,administrator may not take any action to supersede the determination4 4 7c7 ,state ,,npdes permit programs ,section #djb7;c7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acdb7;c77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#e7 ,limitation on authority of ,administrator to withdraw approval of ,state programs ,the ,administrator may not withdraw approval of a ,state program under paragraph 7#c7 or 7#d71 or limit ,federal financial assistance for the ,state program1 on the basis that the ,administrator disagrees with the ,state regarding-- 7,a7 the implementation of any water quality standard that has been adopted by the ,state and approved by the ,administrator under section #cjc7;c72 or 7,b7 the implementation of any ,federal guidance that directs the interpretation of the ,state's water quality standards4 4 7d7 ,limitation on authority of ,administrator ,to object to individual permits ,section #djb7;d7 of such ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #acdb7;d77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#e7 ,the ,administrator may not object under paragraph 7#b7 to the issuance of a permit by a ,state on the basis of-- 7,a7 the ,administrator's interpretation of a water quality standard that has been adopted by the ,state and approved by the ,administrator under section #cjc7;c72 or 7,b7 the implementation of any ,federal guidance that directs the interpretation of the ,state's water quality standards4 4 #c4 ,permits for dredged or fill material 7a7 ,authority of ,,epa ,administrator ,section #djd7;c7 of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #acdd7;c77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking 7c7 and inserting 7c77#a72 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,paragraph 7#a7 shall not apply to any permit if the ,state in which the discharge originates or will originate does not concur with the ,administrator's determination that the discharge will result in an unacceptable adverse effect as described in paragraph 7#a74 4 7b7 ,state permit programs ,the first sentence of section #djd7;g77#a7 of such ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #acdd7;g77#a77 is amended by striking ,the ,governor of any ,state desiring to administer its own individual and general permit program for the discharge and inserting ,the ,governor of any ,state desiring to administer its own individual and general permit program for some or all of the discharges4 #d4 ,deadlines for agency comments ,section #djd of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #acdd7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7m7 by striking ninetieth day and inserting #cjth day 7or the #fjth day if additional time is requested72 and 7#b7 in subsection 7q7-- 7,a7 by striking 7q7 and inserting 7q77#a72 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,the ,administrator and the head of a department or agency referred to in paragraph 7#a7 shall each submit any comments with respect to an application for a permit under subsection 7a7 or 7e7 not later than the #cjth day 7or the #fjth day if additional time is requested7 after the date of receipt of an application for a permit under that subsection4 4 #e4 ,applicability of amendments ,the amendments made by this ,act shall apply to actions taken on or after the date of enactment of this ,act1 including actions taken with respect to permit applications that are pending or revised or new standards that are being promulgated as of such date of enactment4 #f4 ,impacts of ,,epa regulatory activity on employment and economic activity 7a7 ,analysis of impacts of actions on employment and economic activity 7#a7 ,analysis ,before taking a covered action1 the ,administrator shall analyze the impact1 disaggregated by ,state1 of the covered action on employment levels and economic activity1 including estimated job losses and decreased economic activity4 7#b7 ,economic models 7,a7 ,in general ,in carrying out paragraph 7#a71 the ,administrator shall utilize the best available economic models4 7,b7 ,annual ,,gao report ,not later than ,december #cast of each year1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to ,congress a report on the economic models used by the ,administrator to carry out this subsection4 7#c7 ,availability of information ,with respect to any covered action1 the ,administrator shall-- 7,a7 post the analysis under paragraph 7#a7 as a link on the main page of the public ,internet ,web site of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency2 and 7,b7 request that the ,governor of any ,state experiencing more than a de minimis negative impact post such analysis in the ,capitol of such ,state4 7b7 ,public hearings 7#a7 ,in general ,if the ,administrator concludes under subsection 7a77#a7 that a covered action will have more than a de minimis negative impact on employment levels or economic activity in a ,state1 the ,administrator shall hold a public hearing in each such ,state at least #cj days prior to the effective date of the covered action4 7#b7 ,time1 location1 and selection ,a public hearing required under paragraph 7#a7 shall be held at a convenient time and location for impacted residents4 ,in selecting a location for such a public hearing1 the ,administrator shall give priority to locations in the ,state that will experience the greatest number of job losses4 7c7 ,notification ,if the ,administrator concludes under subsection 7a77#a7 that a covered action will have more than a de minimis negative impact on employment levels or economic activity in any ,state1 the ,administrator shall give notice of such impact to the ,state's ,congressional delegation1 ,governor1 and ,legislature at least #de days before the effective date of the covered action4 7d7 ,definitions ,in this section1 the following definitions apply3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7#b7 ,covered action ,the term covered action means any of the following actions taken by the ,administrator under the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abja et seq473 7,a7 ,issuing a regulation1 policy statement1 guidance1 response to a petition1 or other requirement4 7,b7 ,implementing a new or substantially altered program4 7#c7 ,more than a de minimis negative impact ,the term more than a de minimis negative impact means the following3 7,a7 ,with respect to employment levels1 a loss of more than #ajj jobs4 ,any offsetting job gains that result from the hypothetical creation of new jobs through new technologies or government employment may not be used in the job loss calculation4 7,b7 ,with respect to economic activity1 a decrease in economic activity of more than #a1jjj1jjj over any calendar year4 ,any offsetting economic activity that results from the hypothetical creation of new economic activity through new technologies or government employment may not be used in the economic activity calculation4