Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), chair of the Senate Water Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water Subcommittee introduced Senate Joint Resolution 50 to disapprove the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recently signed total maximum daily load (TMDL) rule. The next day, Rep. Marion Berry (R-AR) introduced House Joint Resolution 105 to disapprove the TMDL rule
Under the Congressional Budget Act, Congress is entitled to a 60-day review of all major rules, defined as those rules having a cost-of-compliance impact of $100 million or more. If passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate and signed by President Clinton, a joint resolution could block the TMDL rule from taking effect. Congress has been highly critical of the rule and passed a rider to the military appropriations bill which delays implementation of the rule until October 1, 2001. Crapo's resolution was referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. How quickly the committee will act is unclear at this point.
