EPA Proposes to Limit State and Tribal Authority for Reviewing Pipelines and Power Plants

EPA proposed amendments to the Clean Water Act’s section 401, which grants states and tribes the authority to review major infrastructure projects, such as dams, pipelines, and power plants. Currently, states and tribes maintain the authority to approve, impose conditions on, or reject permits for federally regulated projects. EPA proposed narrowing the scope of this review, in an attempt to expedite energy projects.