“"If President Trump issued the executive order, it might help provide a real signal of the importance that the administration places on having such a 404(c) veto issue included into the permitting reform package,"

“congressional action would provide the strongest protection but argued that the administration should also examine what EPA can accomplish under existing law

“"While it is reasonable for EPA to retain a limited authority to halt a project when there is potential for a genuinely unacceptable environmental impact, the authority granted to the agency under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act is too broad. Currently, the agency has an open-ended veto and can shut down a project before the permit application is filed, while it is under review, or after the permit has been approved and work has already begun,"

“"The way to improve the situation is to get the EPA to put some sideboards and some constraints on the provision, and that would not solve the problem because a future administration could undo that rule, but it takes time to undo a rule,"

“EPA should retain some authority to stop projects that pose genuinely unacceptable environmental risks but argued that the current authority is too broad

“the statute gives EPA broad authority to veto or revoke permits even after the Army Corps of Engineers has issued them, potentially putting projects already under construction at risk under future administrations

“the agency could impose constraints, including requiring officials to consider costs imposed on permit holders and their reliance on previously issued permits

“"So that's why we want to focus the administration's attention on this problem that could undo all of the good work that they're doing to speed up permitting,"