“"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 East Wing Modernization Project is inextricably tied to the security of the President, the White House grounds and the certain security infrastructure assets,"

“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

“"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,"

“"The ability to undo or preemptively block permitted projects undermines confidence in the permitting system and can chill investment even where projects have complied with established requirements,"

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

“"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,"

“"[T]here is no precedent in U.S. history of a sitting president devising such endeavors in their own name."

Maggie Haberman

The New York Times' reporter

Axios · Aug 13
Direct quote