Clean Ports for Commerce Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9483
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Environmental Protection
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-25: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T20:26:02Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation aims to ensure safer dredging operations by requiring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to plan ahead in areas where dredged materials are known to contain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of persistent chemicals).
Key Provisions
- Before any dredging begins in an area with known PFAS contamination, the Secretary of the Army (acting through the Chief of Engineers) must identify:
- The planned disposal site for the dredged materials.
- Steps to reduce impacts on water quality and public health from the substances.
- Any expected delays caused by the presence of such substances.
- This requirement applies only when the Corps already has information indicating PFAS will be present in the materials.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill adds a new mandatory planning step for dredging projects in PFAS-affected areas. No existing statutes are amended or repealed; the measure simply imposes this additional pre-dredging analysis on the Corps of Engineers.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Increases workload and planning time for the Corps of Engineers, potentially raising project costs and timelines.
- Citizens and commerce: May delay port and waterway maintenance, affecting shipping and local economies, while aiming to limit PFAS exposure risks to nearby communities and water sources.
- International relations: No direct effects noted.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Port authorities and commercial shipping interests
- Local communities near dredging sites
- State and federal environmental agencies
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill strengthens environmental protections for federal civil works projects without altering constitutional authorities. It focuses on proactive risk management for hazardous substances but could lead to longer project approvals.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Scholten, Hillary J. [D-MI-3]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-25: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2026-06-25: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-25: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Clean Ports for Commerce Act — issued 2026-06-25 — PDF (2 pages)