***Small Business Environmental Roundtable Meeting***
THURSDAY, January 6, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Via Microsoft Teams Meeting
The next SBA, Office of Advocacy Environmental Roundtable will meet virtually to discuss the following topics, beginning at 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 6, 2021. The meeting will be held using the Microsoft Teams platform.
Send your RSVP to astrika.adams@sba.gov. A meeting link will be provided to you when you RSVP.
Agenda
11:00 AM – 11:05 AM Introductions
Astrika Adams, Office of Advocacy, SBA
11:05 AM – 11:35 AM EPA’s and Army Corps’ Proposed Definition of “the waters of the United States” (WOTUS)
TBD, Office of Water, EPA
TBD, Department of the Army, Army Corps of Engineers
11:35 AM – 12:30 PM Discussion and Q&A
Astrika Adams, Office of Advocacy, SBA
Roundtable meetings are open to all interested persons, with the exception of the press, in order to facilitate open and frank discussion about the impacts of Federal regulatory activities on small entities. Agendas and presentations are available to all, including the press. Anyone who wants to receive roundtable agendas or presentations, or to be included in the distribution list, should forward such requests to astrika.adams@sba.gov. The purpose of these roundtable meetings is to exchange opinions, facts, and information and to obtain the attendees’ individual views and opinions regarding small business concerns. The meetings are not intended to achieve or communicate any consensus positions of the attendees.
Small Business Environmental Roundtable
Issues for Discussion
January 6, 2021
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers through the Department of the Army (Army Corps) recently published their proposed regulations defining “the waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The proposed definition attempts to restore the 1986/88 regulations defining “the waters of the United States” while updating these regulations to conform to and account for applicable Supreme Court caselaw precedent. Importantly, the proposed definition incorporates both Justice Kennedy’s “significant nexus” test as well as Justice Scalia’s “relatively permanent” test.
At this roundtable, EPA and Army Corps will be providing an overview of the proposed regulations defining “the waters of the United States” with an emphasis on the applicability of the new regulation to members of the agricultural community. Time will be available for discussion and questions directed to both EPA and Army Corps.