Focused Reduction of Effluence and Stormwater runoff through Hydrofracking Environmental Regulation Act of 2021 or the FRESHER Act of 2021
This bill addresses stormwater runoff from mining, oil, or gas operations. Specifically, it eliminates a prohibition on the Environmental Protection Agency from requiring a permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System for discharges of certain collected, uncontaminated stormwater runoff from mining operations or oil and gas operations.
In addition, the Department of the Interior must study stormwater runoff associated with oil or gas operations, including an analysis of (1) measurable contamination, (2) groundwater resources, and (3) the susceptibility of aquifers to contamination from stormwater runoff associated with the operations.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2133 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2133
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and direct the
Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study with respect to stormwater
runoff from oil and gas operations, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 23, 2021
Mr. Cartwright (for himself, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Blumenauer,
Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Connolly, Ms.
DeGette, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Hastings, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Jones,
Mr. Khanna, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Matsui, Ms.
McCollum, Ms. Meng, Mr. Morelle, Mr. Nadler, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr.
Neguse, Ms. Norton, Mr. Raskin, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Scott
of Virginia, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Sires, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr.
Vargas, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Welch, and Mr. Huffman) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and direct the
Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study with respect to stormwater
runoff from oil and gas operations, and for other purposes.
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 ``Focused Reduction of Effluence and
Stormwater runoff through Hydrofracking Environmental Regulation Act of
2021'' or the ``FRESHER Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. STORMWATER RUNOFF FROM OIL, GAS, AND MINING OPERATIONS.
(a) Limitation on Permit Requirement.--Section 402(l) of the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1342) is amended by
striking paragraph (2) and redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph
(2).
(b) Definitions.--Section 502 of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1362) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (24); and
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (25) through (27) as
paragraphs (24) through (26), respectively.
(c) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall
conduct a study of stormwater impacts with respect to any area
that the Secretary determines may be contaminated by stormwater
runoff associated with oil or gas operations, which shall
include--
(A) an analysis of measurable contamination in such
area;
(B) an analysis of ground water resources in such
area; and
(C) an analysis of the susceptibility of aquifers
in such area to contamination from stormwater runoff
associated with such operations.
(2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report on the results of studies conducted under
paragraph (1).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
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