Aaron Bean pursues congressional override of decision denying Florida permitting authority
Congress last week voted to restore Florida’s permitting authority over wetlands. But it’s unclear whether the process can be jump-started anytime soon.
U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean introduced an amendment last week on a larger bill, the Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act (HR 7023), that would codify Florida’s authority to issue permits.
Bean, a Fernandina Republican, said it’s critical to restore Florida’s 404 Program, which transferred permitting authority from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
But a court in February said the authority was wrongly granted to the state in the first place. That decision has done more to stop critica...
