Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 3824

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Environmental Protection

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-13: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Last Updated

2025-09-04T08:06:34Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2025 aims to clarify Congress's intent on how pesticides are regulated when used near or in navigable waters (rivers, lakes, and other major U.S. waterways). It seeks to reduce unnecessary permitting requirements for the application of approved pesticides, balancing pesticide use with water quality protections under existing environmental laws.

Key Provisions

• Amendment to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA): Adds a new subsection stating that no permit is required under the Clean Water Act (CWA) for discharges of authorized pesticides (or their residues) into navigable waters from proper applications, except as specified in the CWA.
• Amendment to the Clean Water Act (CWA), Section 402: Introduces a new subsection (t) that exempts most pesticide discharges from needing a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit—a federal or state permit required for point source pollution into waters.
• Exemptions apply to: Pesticides approved for sale, distribution, or use under FIFRA, and residues from their application.
• Exceptions where permits are still required:
• Discharges from pesticide applications that violate FIFRA rules related to water quality (e.g., if the violation causes or increases the discharge).
• Stormwater runoff regulated under existing CWA rules.
• Discharges from manufacturing or industrial processes, wastewater treatment plants, or normal ship operations (like ballast water or hull cleaning).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Prior to this bill, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and states could interpret the CWA to require NPDES permits for any pesticide discharge into waters, even from approved uses like farming or mosquito control. This act explicitly exempts authorized pesticide applications from such permits, overriding potential broad interpretations.
• It cross-references FIFRA (which governs pesticide safety and approval) to prioritize its standards for water-related uses, while preserving CWA protections for non-application discharges or violations.
• No changes to FIFRA's core pesticide approval process; the focus is solely on water discharge permitting under the CWA.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Reduces administrative workload for the EPA and state environmental agencies by eliminating permit reviews for most pesticide applications, potentially saving time and resources. However, it may increase enforcement needs for exceptions like violations or industrial discharges.
• On Citizens: Eases compliance for farmers, foresters, and pest control operators who apply pesticides near water, lowering costs and simplifying operations. Water users (e.g., drinkers of treated water or recreational users) might face minimal increased pollution risk if applications follow FIFRA rules, but environmental advocates worry about reduced oversight.
• On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could affect U.S. compliance with international water quality agreements if pesticide runoff influences shared waterways (e.g., with Canada or Mexico).

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Pesticide Applicators and Users: Farmers, agricultural businesses, public health officials (e.g., for mosquito control), and forestry managers benefit from reduced permitting.
• Environmental and Regulatory Agencies: EPA and state water pollution control boards face fewer permits to issue but must monitor exceptions.
• Environmental Groups and Conservationists: May oppose due to perceived weakening of water protections.
• Water-Dependent Industries: Fishing, tourism, and municipal water suppliers could see indirect effects from changes in pesticide residue levels in waterways.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Clarifies ambiguity from past court cases (e.g., interpretations of "point source" pollution under the CWA), potentially preventing future litigation over pesticide permitting. It reinforces FIFRA's primacy for approved uses without altering constitutional balances like federal-state water regulation.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority to regulate interstate commerce and navigable waters (under the Commerce Clause), while deferring some implementation to states.
• Political: Represents a deregulatory approach, likely appealing to agricultural interests but drawing criticism from environmentalists for possibly prioritizing industry over ecosystem health. As an introduced bill (H.R. 3824, 119th Congress), it requires committee review and could spark debates on environmental policy balance.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]

Cosponsors (9)

Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17], Rep. Maloy, Celeste [R-UT-2], Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4], Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8], Rep. Yakym, Rudy [R-IN-2], Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2], Rep. Rose, John W. [R-TN-6], Rep. Balderson, Troy [R-OH-12], Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-13: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
• 2025-06-06: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-06-06: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-06-06: Introduced in House
• 2025-06-06: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-06 — PDF (4 pages)