Update on the Amended Waters of the U.S. Rule

In April, NACo, alongside coalition partners representing local governments and water groups, sent two letters to Congress highlighting the importance of sustained federal investment in water infrastructure for counties and communities nationwide.

On April 30, the House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) by a vote of 224–200. 

On April 14, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the PFAS OUT initiative to help water systems proactively tackle per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in drinking water. PFAS OUT is an outreach initiative that will connect water system managers with resources to better understand and tackle PFAS pollution ahead of upcoming regulatory deadlines. 

County officials spoke out at a Capitol Hill briefing about the delays and costs resulting from permitting challenges and the reforms they’d like to see passed by Congress.

On April 15, congressional leaders introduced the bipartisan Create Expedited Reviews to Transform American Infrastructure Now (CERTAIN) Act. Led by Reps. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), Gabe Evans (R-Colo.), Andrew Gabarino (R-N.Y.), Adam Gray (D-Calif.), Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) and Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), the CERTAIN Act would strengthen county consultation and set actionable deadlines for federal environmental permitting processes.

On April 7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a final rule issuing new regulatory guidance for the department’s environmental review processes. The new rule affects how USDA implements the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and affects projects funded by the agency or occurring on land managed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).