Data / Federal rules / 2026-00754
Updating the Water Quality Certification Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency published this proposed rule in the Federal Register on January 15, 2026. Comments closed on February 17, 2026.
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What the agency says
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is publishing this proposed rule to update and clarify several substantive and procedural requirements for water quality certification under Clean Water Act (CWA or the Act) section 401. CWA section 401 is a direct grant of authority to States (and Tribes that have been approved for "treatment as a State" status) to review for compliance with appropriate Federal, State, and Tribal water quality requirements any discharge into waters of the United States that may result from a proposed activity that requires a Federal license or permit. This proposed rule is intended to clarify several aspects of the certification process consistent with the statutory framework.
Key facts
- Document number
- 2026-00754
- Type
- Proposed rule
- Action
- Proposed rule
- Agency
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Published
- January 15, 2026
- Comments due
- February 17, 2026
- Dates
- Comments must be received on or before February 17, 2026. Comments on the information collection provisions of the proposed rule under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) must be received by the Office of Management and Budget's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OMB-OIRA) on or before February 17, 2026. Please refer to the PRA section under "Statutory and Executive Order Reviews" in this preamble for specific instructions. Public meeting: EPA will hold a virtual public meeting following publication of this proposed action. Please refer to the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for add
- Docket
- EPA-HQ-OW-2025-2929; FRL-6976.2-01-OW
- Regulation ID (RIN)
- 2040-AG47
- Code of Federal Regulations
- 40 CFR 121
- Topics
- Administrative practice and procedure; Environmental protection; Intergovernmental relations; Water pollution control
- Pages
- 35
Other documents from the Environmental Protection Agency
Everything from the Environmental Protection Agency · Rules on administrative practice and procedure · Rules on environmental protection · Rules on intergovernmental relations · Published in January 2026
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