Water Resources and Environment

The jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment consists generally of matters relating to water resources development, conservation and management, water pollution control and water infrastructure, and hazardous waste cleanup.  Within this scope of authority, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over all programs within the civil works and regulatory programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the water quality and Clean Water Act-related infrastructure programs of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) (within the U.S. Department of Transportation).  The Subcommittee also shares jurisdiction with the Committee on Energy and Commerce over EPA’s hazardous waste cleanup and liability authorities (under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), more commonly known as Superfund) and brownfields revitalization program.  In addition, the Subcommittee shares jurisdiction over the joint EPA-U.S. Coast Guard authorities under the Oil Pollution Act with the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.  Finally, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the small watershed grants and remediation programs under the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (within the U.S. Department of Agriculture), and water quality and water-infrastructure related programs of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) (within the U.S. Department of State)

Issues under the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee include: 

• Water resources programs (projects and regulations) – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)
• Clean Water Act, water infrastructure and watershed protection programs – Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Superfund and brownfields revitalization (EPA) 
• Ocean dumping – Corps and EPA
• Oil pollution – EPA and U.S. Coast Guard
• Tennessee Valley Authority
• Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (US. Department of Transportation).
• The small watershed program of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
• Water quality and water-infrastructure related issues on the U.S. Border – International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) (within the U.S. Department of State)
• Deepwater ports – EPA, Coast Guard, Corps
• Invasive/aquatic nuisance species – EPA, Coast Guard, Corps, and other agencies
• Coastal pollution and coastal zone management – EPA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• Natural resource damages – NOAA, Interior, and other agencies
• Groundwater protection – EPA and Corps
• Water resources policy – multiple agencies