Confidence in Clean Water Permits Act

This bill updates how water discharge permits under the Clean Water Act are read and enforced. If a facility follows the conditions in its permit, it counts as following the law for the pollutants the permit covers. That includes pollutants with set number limits and pollutants that are identified during the permit process or in the permit paperwork, even if there isn’t a specific number limit written in the permit itself.

It also requires that any extra limits added to protect local water quality be written clearly. Permits must name the pollutant and either set a number limit or spell out the actions the permit holder must take to comply. The bill also makes small wording fixes in the law to clean up references.

• Who is affected: Facilities with Clean Water Act discharge permits (like factories and wastewater plants), and state/EPA permit writers.
• What changes: Clearer rules on what “following your permit” means, and clearer, more specific water-quality-based limits in permits; minor technical edits to the law’s wording.