Judicial Review Timeline Clarity Act

This bill changes how lawsuits over certain water permits are handled. It sets a strict 60‑day deadline to file a court challenge after a permit or a verification is issued for discharging dredged or fill material. Only people who submitted a detailed comment during the public comment period can sue, and the lawsuit must be about the issue they raised. If a court finds the agency didn’t follow the rules, the court sends the matter back to the agency, but generally cannot pause or cancel the permit unless there is an imminent and substantial danger to human health or the environment and no other legal fix is available. The court must also set a timeline—no more than 180 days—for the agency to act on the court’s order.

Key points

• Who is affected: People and groups involved in permits to discharge dredged or fill material, and those who commented during the public process.
• What changes: 60‑day window to sue; only prior detailed commenters can sue; courts usually must remand without stopping permits unless there’s imminent and substantial danger; agencies get a court‑set deadline (up to 180 days) to fix issues.
• When: The 60‑day clock starts on the date the permit or verification is issued.