SALAMANDER Act

This bill would amend the Clean Water Act to let the Army Corps of Engineers issue or change general permits for dredging and filling waters in areas where the President has declared a major disaster or emergency. The permits would cover activities directly related to disaster recovery that federal wildlife agencies, through a programmatic consultation, have found will avoid or minimize harm to threatened and endangered species and their critical habitat. Permit holders would have to follow agreed-upon best management practices, and each permit would last 18 months from the disaster declaration. Activities carried out under these permits would not need separate Endangered Species Act consultation, and the Corps would have to coordinate with state fish and wildlife agencies within 30 days of a declaration and issue national guidance.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Tim Moore Republican sponsor
• 1 cosponsors