EPA Clean Water Act Proposal Lacks Scientific Evidence, Says NMHC/NAA

Washington, D.C.—Statement from the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and National Apartment Association (NAA) by Cindy Chetti, NMHC senior vice president of Government Affairs, on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) and Army Corps proposed Clean Water Act jurisdictional rule. This statement comes as EPA and Corps officials are scheduled to testify on June 11 at 10 a.m. before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment on the potential impact of the proposed rule:

“In developing the revised scope of the Clean Water Act, EPA failed to follow certain regulatory requirements, did not conduct a sufficiently rigorous peer-reviewed scientific inquiry and relied on a flawed economic analysis. New research released by well-known economist Dr. David Sunding of the University of California-Berkley further supports the fact that the EPA’s methodology for the potential costs was so flawed that their study was ‘virtually meaningless’–with Sunding recommending that the agency completely withdraw the report.

“The resulting revisions to the Act are so overly broad that artificial ponds used to store rainwater to prevent runoff would be federally regulated. As crafted, these revisions would create significant financial burdens to small businesses without necessarily any improved water quality.

“The apartment industry encourages the EPA to return to the proposed rulemaking and require the agencies to correct these significant errors. Doing so will ensure the apartment industry can continue to meet the demands of our 35 million residents and the millions more who will call an apartment home.”