To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

Summary

Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to require Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water quality criteria for any pollutant to be the standard for such pollutant in any State that has not adopted water quality standards, or has adopted less stringent standards, for such pollutant. Requires Federal agencies or applicants for Federal licenses or permits proposing to conduct any activity which may result in a discharge into navigable waters or the waters of the contiguous zone, or in water quality degradation or impairment of water uses, to provide State certifications that the discharges will comply with certain provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Amends the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to permit States to adopt criteria, rules, or regulations relating to ocean dumping within their jurisdiction only if such criteria, rules, or regulations are more stringent and protective of waters and sediment than those adopted pursuant to such Act. Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to permit the EPA Administrator, upon finding that a person has failed to obtain an ocean discharge certification or is violating the conditions of such certification, to: (1) order such person to cease activities resulting in discharges until in compliance with such conditions; or (2) bring a civil action. Prohibits the issuance of permits for discharges into the territorial sea or the contiguous zone until the Administrator provides States whose waters may be affected by such discharges an opportunity to comment or impose conditions with respect to water quality on such permits. Declares that an EPA regulation authorizing the issuance of permits (under certain conditions) for discharges into the marine environment where there is insufficient information to determine possible environmental degradation shall be null and void.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 4 June 1991

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 4 June 1991

   Introduced

   Referred to the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 4 June 1991

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 17 June 1991

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources.

   Source: Committee

5. 18 June 1991

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Oceanography, Great Lakes, and the Outer Continental Shelf.

   Source: Committee

6. 18 June 1991

   Committee

   Executive Comment Requested from Commerce, Interior, Army Corps of Engineers, EPA.

   Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in House · undated · Official file

Documents

2 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 4 June 1991

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Rep. Peterson, Douglas (Pete) [D-FL-2] · D · Sponsor
• · hsmm00 · Standing
• · hspw00 · Standing

Related records

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