USAgNet

The Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, John Mica (R-FL.) and Ranking Member Nick Rahall (D-WV) have introduced the "Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011", H.R. 2018.

The bipartisan bill is an effort to amend the Clean Water Act (CWA) and to return responsibility of water pollution control to the states. The legislation would restrict EPA's ability to override or delay a state's
permitting and water quality certification decisions under the CWA once EPA has already approved a state's program, unless the state concurs that a new standard is necessary.

ACTION ALERT:  CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSMAN TODAY!  ASK THEM TO SUPPORT HR 2018!

THIS BILL WILL HELP REIN IN THE EPA AND GET AMERICA BACK TO WORK!

The Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act (H.R. 2018) has major implications for the Friends of Coal and the 63,000 West Virginia families whose livelihoods depend on mining coal.

The Associated Equipment Distributors has joined the campaign to build support for a new bill to beat back the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) attack on state authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

The Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act (H.R. 2018) has major implications for equipment distributors around the country.  In recent years, the Obama EPA has used the CWA permitting process to block coal mines in Appalachia; however, quarries, farmers, and commercial, residential, and infrastructure construction projects also receive CWA scrutiny and are potentially affected by EPA’s abuse of its authority.

Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. this week, wrote a strongly-worded letter to the United States Environmental Protection Agency demanding the agency show proof that jobs were considered when issuing new regulations for coal-fueled power plants over the past year.

Capito’s letter comes on the heels of frustrating news that American Electric Power will shut down five plants in West Virginia and Ohio, resulting in job cuts and higher utility costs across the board.