To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to limit citizens suits against publicly owned treatment works, to provide for defenses, to extend the period of a permit, to limit attorneys fees, and for other purposes.

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

1 December 2011

Last action

2 December 2011 · Referred

Status

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Summary

Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to prohibit a citizen suit from being commenced against a publicly owned treatment works (POTW): (1) to enforce an effluent standard or limitation unless the POTW is in significant non-compliance as defined in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) guidance document entitled "A General Design for SNC Redefinition Enhancement in PCS," or (2) that is in significant non-compliance based on a manual designation as defined by such guidance document. Prohibits liability for an unlawful discharge of a pollutant from a POTW for a person who can establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the immediate cause of such discharge and any damages was: (1) an act of God; (2) an act of war; or (3) an act or omission of a third party other than an employee or agent of such person or one whose act or omission occurs in connection with a contractual relationship with such person, if such person exercised due care and took precautions against foreseeable acts or omissions of such third party and the consequences that could foreseeably result from such acts or omissions. Requires the Administrator of EPA or a state to provide a 60-day waiting period between the notice of a violation of such Act by a POTW and the issuance of a civil penalty. Prohibits the Administrator from assessing a penalty for a violation if the POTW submits a viable plan for correcting the non-compliance within such period and thereafter implements such plan. Requires any permit issued to the owner or operator of a POTW to discharge a pollutant under such Act to have a 15-year (currently five-year) term. Limits attorney fees with respect to actions involving POTWs to the prevailing fees in the community. Requires any new or increased treatment requirement associated with a permit issued to the owner or operator of a POTW to discharge a pollutant under such Act to be subject to a cost-benefit analysis.

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

Timeline

1 December 2011
Introduced
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Source: IntroReferral
1 December 2011
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
1 December 2011
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
2 December 2011
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Source: Committee

Votes

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Versions

Introduced in House · 1 December 2011 · Download file

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 1 December 2011
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Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 1 December 2011
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 1 December 2011
Open at official source
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Vertaal naar
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Related records

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Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/3544
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/112/hr/3544
us · 112-hr-3544 · source updated 7 February 2024