WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Florida Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody announced the reintroduction of the Maintaining Cooperative Permitting Act to codify the state of Florida’s authority to issue Section 404 permits under the Clean Water Act dredge and fill permitting program and clarify the law to protect regulatory certainty. This bill affords states the ability to follow their equivalent permitting standards to preserve and protect natural resources. This streamlined process is particularly helpful in states like Florida, where environmental standards are just as stringent, if not more so, than what is in place on the federal level.

In 2020, the State of Florida assumed Clean Water Act permitting authorities pursuant to procedures provided within the Clean Water Act, restoring the power of Floridians to decide permitting matters that affect them the most. During his time as Governor of Florida, Senator Rick Scott signed legislation to request this designation from the federal government.

Senator Rick Scott said, "Florida is home to unique waterways and natural resources that should not be subject to a one-size-fits-all federal regulatory framework. The Maintaining Cooperative Permitting Act safeguards the Clean Water Act permitting authorities that I championed as Governor and helped secure as Senator in President Trump’s first term. It ensures that the State of Florida has the authority to make informed and timely decisions for our residents, while also preserving our state's precious natural resources for future generations to protect and enjoy."

Senator Ashley Moody said, "As a fifth-generation Floridian, protecting our state’s natural beauty is deeply important to me. Florida has made significant efforts to conserve its incredible natural resources. However, under the Biden administration, our ability to protect our environment has been hindered by federal bureaucracy and excessive red tape, and Section 404 permit applications for projects that benefit the environment, and the public, became subject to a federal backlog. States should have the right to make decisions about their own natural resources, not be dictated to by Washington bureaucrats. That’s why I am introducing the Maintaining Cooperative Permitting Act — to limit Washington’s interference and protect our efforts to preserve Florida’s water.”

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