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Section 401 of the Clean Water Act

  • Section 401 Certification

    The Clean Water Act (CWA) gives states and authorized tribes the authority to grant, deny, or waive certification of proposed federal licenses or permits that may discharge into waters of the United States. Learn more about 401 certification.

About 401 Certification

  • Overview of Section 401
  • Read Section 401

Press Releases

  • EPA Takes Action to Empower States, Territories, and Tribes to Protect Water Resources and Support Sustainable Development (June 2022)
  • EPA, Army Take Action to Address Implementation Challenges with 2020 Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Rule (August 2021)
  • EPA Takes Action to Bolster State and Tribal Authority to Protect Water Resources (May 2021)

CWA Section 401 Rulemaking

  • Federal Register version of the proposed Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification Improvement Rule
    • Public comments were submitted to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0128 on https://www.regulations.gov/ between June 9, 2022 and August 8, 2022.
  • Upcoming Outreach and Engagement
  • Federal Register Notice of Intention
  • Q&A on the Stay of the 2020 Rule Vacatur
    • 2020 CWA Section 401 Certification Rule
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on August 10, 2022
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