State environmental regulators across the U.S. want to double the standard timeframe for issuing new water pollution permits amid staffing challenges and lack of funding.
Rather than expire after five years, wastewater permits under the Clean Water Act should remain active “for up to 10 years” to give states more flexibility and “permit authority discretion,” according to a resolution enacted last week by the Environmental Council of the States.
The Clean Water Act has long mandated that federal permits for sewage treatment plants, coal power plants, chemical facilities and other sources of water pollution expire every five years. After that, they must be renewed through a process subject to public input.
Increasing the standard permit length could come at a cost to clean water and public health, some environmental advocates say. Still, the notion of extending the permitting timeframe has previously gained traction. California Democratic Rep. John Garamendi has proposed amending the law at least twice to allow 10-year permits for municipal sewage treatment plants, an idea that has support from some other Democrats and Republicans.
