GRAY INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN BILL TO SPEED UP CENTRAL VALLEY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

Today, Congressman Adam Gray (CA-13) and Congressman David Rouzer (NC-07) introduced the Certainty and Uniform Reviews for Reliable Energy and Transmission (CURRENT) Act, bipartisan legislation to modernize the federal permitting process, cut through unnecessary government red tape, and provide greater certainty for infrastructure projects while maintaining key provisions of the Clean Water Act.

"For too long, the State of California has used the Section 401 process under the Clean Water Act to hold up critical permits in the Central Valley," said Congressman Adam Gray (CA-13). "Every delay creates more uncertainty for our farmers, water districts, and local economy by making a path to reliable water deliveries through collaborative voluntary agreements harder to secure. The CURRENT Act ensures that California and other states can't use the permitting process to impose impractical and costly requirements on energy projects. We can protect clean water while giving our communities the certainty they need."

"Long term regulatory certainty is key to providing the confidence needed to grow businesses, create jobs, and strengthen our economy. This legislation builds on the important work of the PERMIT Act by further strengthening the Section 401 permitting process through clear and efficient procedures - ensuring environmental reviews remain focused on protecting water quality, not obstructing critical infrastructure projects," said Congressman David Rouzer (NC-07).

Under current law, Section 401 of the Clean Water Act requires applicants seeking certain federal permits or licenses to obtain a water quality certification from states, tribes, or authorized agencies. Over time, the certification process has become increasingly unpredictable, resulting in permitting delays, litigation, and uncertainty for critical infrastructure projects.

The CURRENT Act reforms Section 401 to provide greater certainty, transparency, and consistency in the federal permitting process for energy, hydropower, transmission, carbon dioxide infrastructure, and other federally licensed projects.

Specifically, this bill limits a states' ability to mandate conditions outside of what would impact the federal water quality standard. The legislation establishes firm timelines, increasing transparency, and streamlines judicial review.

"Merced Irrigation District is pleased to support this common-sense legislation. MID's relicensing of the Merced River Hydroelectric Project includes a 401-water quality control certification. Our operations benefit the entire state and nation, including providing vital flood control, clean energy and electric grid support - as well as recreation. Crucially, MID's operations provide water supply to the 5th largest agricultural economy in the nation. We are happy to evaluate the actual effects of the water discharge from the hydroelectric project. However, we do not believe that numerous other issues outside our operations should become entangled in what should be a straight-forward analysis of water quality," said the Merced Irrigation District.

"TID was built on the belief that water and power delivered reliably and affordably are the foundation of a thriving Central Valley - and that a healthy Tuolumne River is part of that foundation. When regulatory processes expand beyond their core statutory purpose, it creates uncertainty that can put that balance at risk - for our communities and the environment alike. We welcome Congressman Gray's efforts to refocus the Clean Water Act on its core water quality mission and look forward to working with partners at every level to get this right," said Brad Koehn, Turlock Irrigation District General Manager.

"California has stretched Section 401 beyond what Congress intended, using it to regulate issues unrelated to water quality. This has complicated the federal licensing process, created regulatory uncertainty, and imposed avoidable costs on our ratepayers. We appreciate and support Congressman Gray's efforts to realign Section 401 with its original purpose while preserving essential water quality protections," said Jimi Netniss, Modesto Irrigation District General Manager.

"America's affordability crisis and the 'race for AI' both come down to the same bottleneck: our inability to build the infrastructure this country needs, fast enough. Section 401 of the Clean Water Act was intended to protect water quality - not serve as an open-ended tool to delay or block the infrastructure our country depends on. That is why we are encouraged to see Representatives Gray and Rouzer introduce the bipartisan CURRENT Act, to bring more certainty, clearer timelines, and consistent standards to the broken permitting process. We appreciate their bipartisan leadership and look forward to working with them and Members of both parties to see meaningful Section 401 reform in a bold, comprehensive permitting reform package - one that finally lets America build the energy future it needs," said Chad Zamarin, Williams President and CEO.

"The CURRENT Act will help return the Clean Water Act to its intended purpose: protecting water quality. For too long, hydropower producers have been forced to pay for wish-list items under Sec. 401 water quality certifications that have nothing to do with the reliable power they provide. The bill provides greater clarity and certainty in the water quality certification process, and in turn will streamline the hydropower licensing process to meet growing electricity demand and help keep power bills lower for consumers. This bipartisan legislation proves that Congress can find common ground on our most challenging permitting reform issues. NHA thanks Representatives Adam Gray and David Rouzer for advancing this bill, and we urge Congress to pass it swiftly," said Matthew Allen, NHA's Senior Director of Legislative Affairs.

Read the full text of the bill here.