Congressman Shreve's Second Bill Advances to the House Floor: Cutting Red Tape for Hoosier Communities
June 27, 2025
Washington, DC – Rep. Jefferson Shreve (IN-06) announced that his bill, The Water Quality Standards Attainability Act, has passed out of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. Mr. Shreve has now passed two bills out of committee this Congress. His legislation was included in the PERMIT Act, a package of commonsense bills that streamline permitting processes and cut red tape. This package now advances to the House Floor.
Congressman Shreve’s bill ensures that access to clean water in our communities is attainable and affordable. His legislation reaffirms state leadership in setting water quality standards, ensuring that local communities — not federal bureaucrats — remain in control of decisions that directly reflect their water systems. His bill requires the EPA (in consultation with states and municipalities) to craft long-term water treatment and sewer plans while developing or updating their water quality standards. In the interest of saving taxpayer money, his legislation requires consideration of the cost and commercial availability of treatment technologies, ensuring communities can realistically comply.
Indiana has borne the cost of heightened EPA regulations. In recent years, Indianapolis and Fort Wayne made targeted changes to their water quality standards which were approved by the EPA. However, the EPA revoked those approvals last year — forcing Hoosier communities to reverse course and waste taxpayer dollars. Mr. Shreve's bill ensures communities can meet reasonable requirements while saving time and money.
Representative Shreve said, “My bill takes a simple step to help communities comply with the Clean Water Act – while avoiding costly, unnecessary red tape. Some regulations imposed in the Clean Water Act are simply unattainable. I’m ensuring the process to get clean water for our communities is clear and reasonable."
House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman, Sam Graves, said, “Ensuring our communities’ needs for clean water are met while being good stewards of ratepayers’ dollars is important. Congressman Shreve’s bill makes reforms to ensure that local communities’ long-term water treatment plans are considered by EPA and states when they develop water quality standards, and that EPA doesn’t force standards onto our communities when the technology to meet those standards isn’t even available, wasting taxpayer dollars. I want to thank Congressman Shreve for his leadership on this issue and for introducing his common-sense legislation.”
Adam Krantz, CEO of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) said, “Clean water utilities around the country have and continue to invest billions of dollars updating their combined sewer systems to protect human health and improve water quality under the Clean Water Act. NACWA applauds Rep. Shreve for introducing the Water Quality Standards Attainability Act—legislation that reinforces Congress’ commitment to ensuring that those investments continue to be cost-effective, and that access to clean water services remains affordable for communities nationwide.”
Congressman Shreve can be viewed advancing his bill here.