Overnight Regulation: House votes to overturn water rule

Welcome to Overnight Regulation, your daily rundown of news from Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Wednesday evening here in Washington and between arguments at the Supreme Court and the State of the Union address, we’ve had a busy week. We’re happy to be over the hump. Here’s the latest.

 

THE BIG STORY 

The House passed a resolution Wednesday to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s hotly contested Waters of the United States rule.

The resolution would block EPA from enforcing the rule and prevent similar regulations in the future. The resolution passed in a 253-166 vote and is now headed to President Obama, after the Senate passed it in November.

{mosads}Supporters of the water rule said it would only clarify federal authority over smaller waterways. But critics of the rule warned it could extend the Clean Water Act over even puddles and ditches on private and state lands.

“Just about every wet area in the country is open to federal regulation under this rule,” said House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.).

Under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) lawmakers have 60 legislative days to vote to block a regulation once it’s been finalized.

The White House has threatened to veto the resolution.

The Hill’s Tim Cama has the full story here. http://bit.ly/1RE46uy

 

ON TAP FOR THURSDAY 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will hold it’s “State of American Business” address Thursday morning. Chamber President and CEO Tom Donohue will discuss the top challenges facing the business community and map out the organization’s policy agenda for 2016.

 

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 163 new regulations, proposed rules, notices and other administrative actions in Thursday’s edition of the Federal Register.

–The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will propose noise reductions for airplanes.

The new noise standard would apply to “subsonic jet airplanes and subsonic transport category large airplanes,” the agency writes.

The rules would “reduce the noise produced by new airplanes and harmonize the noise certification standards for those airplanes certificated in the United States with the new International Civil Aviation Organization noise standard,” it adds.

The public has 90 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1P1CsHm

–The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will issue new automotive fuel ratings for ethanol-gasoline blends.

The automotive fuel ratings, first developed in 1979, are intended to “help purchasers identify the correct fuel for their vehicles,” the agency writes.

Under the new rules, ethanol will be subject to new rating, certification and labeling requirements, the FTC noted.

The rules go into effect on July 14. http://bit.ly/1Q6dYf6

–The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) will issue new protections for northern long-eared bats.

The FWS listed northern long-eared bats as threatened last April, and is now following up with further conservation measures.

People will be prohibited from taking northern long-eared bats from their habitats, but they can remove them from their homes and to protect human life, the agency noted.

These bats are indigenous to 37 states and Washington, D.C.

The protections go into effect in 30 days. http://bit.ly/1Pc0nO9

 

NEWS RIGHT NOW

House votes to overturn Obama water rule. http://bit.ly/1RE46uy

White House pledges ‘audacious’ executive action in 2016. http://bit.ly/1mWE48u

President calls out ‘outdated regulations.’ http://bit.ly/1RNp1cM

Theater union endorses Hillary Clinton. http://bit.ly/1OiHdsA

NTSB eyeing lower alcohol limit. http://bit.ly/1J3IGEn

House Dems call for federal probe into Buffett companies. http://bit.ly/1l7if4M

Supreme Court grapples with Iran payout to Beirut bombing victims. http://bit.ly/1REFty1

Watchdog: IRS lacks fair audit safeguards. http://bit.ly/1njmnQW

 

BY THE NUMBERS

9 million: People released from local and county jails every year. 

$5 million: Amount Labor Department pledged in grants to help local and country jails create in-house employment centers.

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“We’ll do audacious executive action throughout the course of the rest of the year. I am confident of that,” — White House chief of staff Denis McDonough told reporters.

 

We’ll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s Regulation page (http://digital-staging.thehill.com/regulation) early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or regulatory news tips our way, tdevaney@digital-staging.thehill.com or lwheeler@digital-staging.thehill.com. And follow us at @timdevaney and @wheelerlydia.

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