House Approves Legislation to Expedite Federal Permitting Process

Environmental Issues
Published

The House has approved NAHB-supported legislation that includes several amendments to the Clean Water Act (CWA) permitting process that will provide home builders needed clarity and confidence as they seek federal permits for home building and development projects.

The Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act (H.R. 7023) respects environmental protections and provides pragmatic solutions to the CWA Section 404 dredge and fill permit program and Section 402 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program

Specifically, the legislation will:

  • Improve the Nationwide Permit (NWP): Home builders pull some of the highest numbers of Section 404 NWPs issued annually. To assist with planning and permit backlogs, this legislation codifies the duration of an NWP from five to 10 years and streamlines the reissuance process.
  • Reduce Permitting Uncertainty: The bill provides a defined timeline to when the EPA may veto a Section 404 permit, and places sensible timelines on when judicial reviews may be filed. Having this predictability will allow home builders to reliably proceed with construction once a permit is granted.
  • Increase Confidence in NPDES Permits: In a major improvement to the Section 402 NPDES permit, this bill requires permit writers to provide clear and consistent parameters when issuing permits, while recognizing the use of best management practices. NAHB worked with lawmakers to add specific legislative language that would not affect how home builders use best management practices when managing stormwater runoff from construction sites. This will provide assurances to home builders that complying with their permits won’t include vague water quality standards, nor impose unobtainable numeric discharge limits.

The home building industry requires confidence in the CWA permitting process. H.R. 7023 respects environmental safeguards and makes significant strides in ensuring clarity in the regulatory process.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Codes and Standards

Apr 02, 2025

Make Your Voice Heard on Building Codes at Upcoming Hearings

The International Code Council (ICC) is deep in its 2024-2026 code development cycle leading to the 2027 editions of its model building codes. The so-called “Group B” code changes will be debated at an upcoming set of hearings before ICC’s code development committees.

Student Chapters | Membership

Apr 02, 2025

How NAHB's HBCU Student Leadership Program Shaped Their Futures

Two students of the program share how their career trajectories were changed by their experiences with NAHB.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Apr 01, 2025

Private Residential Construction Spending Rises in February

Private residential construction spending increased by 1.3% in February, rebounding from a 1.2% dip in January. The growth was largely driven by higher spending on single-family construction and residential improvements. On a year-over-year basis, the February report showed a 1.6% gain, indicating a modest growth in private residential construction spending during market uncertainties.

Economics

Apr 01, 2025

Soft Job Openings Estimate for Construction

After a period of slowing associated with declines for some elements of the residential construction industry, the count of open construction sector jobs remained lower than a year ago, per the February Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

Economics

Mar 31, 2025

Affordability Pyramid Shows 94 Million Households Cannot Buy a $400,000 Home

NAHB recently released its 2025 Priced-Out Analysis, highlighting the housing affordability challenge. While previous posts discussed the impacts of rising home prices and interest rates on affordability, this post focuses on the related U.S. housing affordability pyramid. The pyramid reveals that 70% of households (94 million) cannot afford a $400,000 home, while the estimated median price of a new home is around $460,000 in 2025.