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Rep. Burgess Owens urges vote for bill to require public input on EPA water guidance
Summary
Rep. Burgess Owens said legislation before the House would require public input and formal rulemaking when the Environmental Protection Agency issues water quality guidance that affects permits, calling the change a move toward transparency for communities such as those around Utah Lake.
Rep. Burgess Owens urged his House colleagues to approve legislation that would require the Environmental Protection Agency to use formal rulemaking and allow public input when issuing water quality guidance that influences permits.
Owens said the measure would increase transparency and local accountability. “In Utah, we know how important water is for our families, our farmers, and our future,” he said, noting he had visited Utah Lake “just last week” to review restoration work. Owens told the chamber that the guidance process currently lets the EPA shape how NPDES permits are written without adequate public review.
“By bureaucratic sleight of hand calling this process guidance, the agency avoids proper rulemaking and blocks local communities from having any say or seeking a review,” Owens said. He added, “This bill fixed that. It brings the process into the open. It simply ensures public input, accountability, and fairness.”
Owens said the bill would shift the process from agency guidance to a rulemaking path that invites community input and oversight. He concluded his remarks by saying, “I'm so I'm proud to support this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to vote yes.”
The remarks did not include a bill number or record a vote in this transcript excerpt, and no other members or staff spoke on the item in the provided segment.
