{"abstract":"Following careful reconsideration of the water quality certification rule the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) promulgated in 2020, the Agency is finalizing a rule revising and replacing the 2020 regulatory requirements for water quality certification under Clean Water Act (CWA) section 401. This final rule updates the existing regulations to better align with the statutory text and purpose of the CWA; to clarify, reinforce, and provide a measure of consistency with elements of section 401 certification practice that have evolved over the more than 50 years since EPA first promulgated water quality certification regulations; and to support an efficient and predictable certification process that is consistent with the water quality protection and cooperative federalism principles central to CWA section 401. An Executive order signed on January 20, 2021, entitled \"Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis,\" directed the Agency to review the water quality certification rule EPA promulgated in 2020, and this final rule culminates that review. The Agency is also finalizing conforming amendments to the water quality certification regulations for EPA-issued National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY","name":"Environmental Protection Agency","id":145,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/environmental-protection-agency","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/145","parent_id":null,"slug":"environmental-protection-agency"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2023/09/27/2023-20219.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":"121","title":40},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":"122","title":40},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":"124","title":40}],"citation":"88 FR 66558","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This action is effective on November 27, 2023.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128","FRL-6976.1-03-OW"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"H.R. Rep. No. 92-911 (1972) (pg.1-200)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0086"},{"title":"H.R. Rep. No. 91-940 (March 24 1970)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0085"},{"title":"S. Rep. No. 92-414 (1971)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0079"},{"title":"U.S. EPA and Department of the Army, Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Implementation Memorandum (August 19, 2021)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0076"},{"title":"EPA’s Motion for Remand Without Vacatur, No. 3:20-cv-04636-WHA (July 1, 2021)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0068"},{"title":"Clean Water Act Section 401 Guidance for Federal Agencies, States and Authorized Tribes (June 2019)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0066"},{"title":"2020 Rule - Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Rule, 85 FR 42210 (July 13, 2020)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0065"},{"title":"Brief for Respondent, California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) et al. v. FERC, No. 20-72432 et al. (9th Cir. October 28, 2021)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0063"},{"title":"1971 Rule - 40 CFR 121 (2019)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0056"},{"title":"81 FR 65901 (Sept. 26, 2016)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0055"}],"agency_name":"EPA","documents":[{"comment_count":null,"comment_start_date":null,"updated_at":"2023-09-27T11:02:46.210-04:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0391","allow_late_comments":null,"id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0391","comment_end_date":null,"regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":313,"id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128","title":"Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification Improvement Rule"}],"document_number":"2023-20219","effective_on":"2023-11-27","end_page":66666,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2023/09/27/2023-20219.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/09/27/2023-20219/clean-water-act-section-401-water-quality-certification-improvement-rule","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2023-20219?publication_date=2023-09-27","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2023-09-27/2023-20219/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":109,"page_views":{"count":11142,"last_updated":"2026-10-23 14:15:06 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-09-27/pdf/2023-20219.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2023-20219.pdf?1695732318","publication_date":"2023-09-27","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2023/09/27/2023-20219.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"2040-AG12":{"issue":"202304","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2040-AG12/clean-water-act-section-401-water-quality-certification","title":"Clean Water Act Section 401: Water Quality Certification","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202304&RIN=2040-AG12&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["2040-AG12"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"H.R. Rep. No. 92-911 (1972) (pg.1-200)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0086"},{"title":"H.R. Rep. No. 91-940 (March 24 1970)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0085"},{"title":"S. Rep. No. 92-414 (1971)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0079"},{"title":"U.S. EPA and Department of the Army, Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Implementation Memorandum (August 19, 2021)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0076"},{"title":"EPA’s Motion for Remand Without Vacatur, No. 3:20-cv-04636-WHA (July 1, 2021)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0068"},{"title":"Clean Water Act Section 401 Guidance for Federal Agencies, States and Authorized Tribes (June 2019)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0066"},{"title":"2020 Rule - Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Rule, 85 FR 42210 (July 13, 2020)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0065"},{"title":"Brief for Respondent, California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) et al. v. FERC, No. 20-72432 et al. (9th Cir. October 28, 2021)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0063"},{"title":"1971 Rule - 40 CFR 121 (2019)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0056"},{"title":"81 FR 65901 (Sept. 26, 2016)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0055"}],"comments_count":0,"agency_id":"EPA","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128","supporting_documents_count":313,"docket_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128-0391","regulation_id_number":null,"title":"Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification Improvement Rule","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2023-09-28T14:00:11Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":66558,"subtype":null,"title":"Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification Improvement Rule","toc_doc":"Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification Improvement Rule","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Air pollution control","Confidential business information","Environmental protection","Hazardous substances","Hazardous waste","Indians-lands","Intergovernmental relations","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Water pollution control","Water supply"],"type":"Rule","volume":88}