Protecting Water and Property Rights Act of 2014

Protecting Water and Property Rights Act of 2014 - Prohibits the Secretary of the Army and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from: (1) finalizing the proposed rule entitled "Definition of `Waters of the United States' Under the Clean Water Act"; or (2) using the proposed rule, or any substantially similar proposed rule or guidance, as the basis for any rulemaking or any decision regarding the scope or enforcement of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act).

Provides that the use of the proposed rule, or any substantially similar proposed rule or guidance, as the basis for any rulemaking or any decision regarding the scope or enforcement of the Clean Water Act shall be grounds for vacating the final rule, decision, or enforcement action.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2496 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2496

To preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters 
                         of the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 19, 2014

 Mr. Barrasso (for himself, Mr. Vitter, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Risch, Mr. 
Rubio, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Johanns, Mr. 
Enzi, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Toomey, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Boozman, 
Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Paul, Mr. Thune, Mr. Isakson, 
  Mr. Heller, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. 
 Cruz, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Burr) introduced the following bill; which was 
  read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public 
                                 Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters 
                         of the United States.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Water and Property Rights 
Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. IDENTIFICATION OF WATERS PROTECTED BY THE CLEAN WATER ACT.

    (a) In General.--Neither the Secretary of the Army nor the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall--
            (1) finalize the proposed rule entitled ``Definition of 
        `Waters of the United States' Under the Clean Water Act'' (79 
        Fed. Reg. 22188 (April 21, 2014)); or
            (2) use the proposed rule described in paragraph (1), or 
        any substantially similar proposed rule or guidance, as the 
        basis for any rulemaking or any decision regarding the scope or 
        enforcement of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
        U.S.C. 1251 et seq.).
    (b) Rules.--The use of the proposed rule described in subsection 
(a)(1), or any substantially similar proposed rule or guidance, as the 
basis for any rulemaking or any decision regarding the scope or 
enforcement of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 
et seq.) shall be grounds for vacation of the final rule, decision, or 
enforcement action.
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