Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio) has introduced two legislative proposals aimed at improving water project permitting and supporting rural communities in Ohio. The Water Authority and Timely Environmental Review (WATER) Act would give state transportation departments, including the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the authority to manage federal waterway permits for highways, railroads, and public transportation projects. Federal agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would retain enforcement roles.
The bill is co-led by Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.). Husted said, “From Lake Erie to the Ohio River and everything in between, Ohio is blessed with incredible natural resources. Currently, federal permits are wasting taxpayer dollars and slowing down the process. This bill will help states cut through bureaucratic red tape by empowering state transportation departments to manage these permits directly—saving time and money.”
Ricketts added, “Effective permitting is the best way to ensure essential infrastructure projects are completed. Duplicative processes waste taxpayer dollars and delay necessary improvements. The WATER Act will streamline the permitting process between the States, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the EPA. At the same time, it will uphold current environmental standards. This will expedite transportation projects by eliminating duplicative reviews. It will reduce federal red tape, resulting in direct time and cost savings.”
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine expressed his support for Husted’s proposal: “I commend Senator Husted for putting Ohio first and cutting unnecessary government red tape. This new bill will allow Ohio to deliver projects faster, save money, and eliminate redundancy.”
Under this act, ODOT would assume responsibilities under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act from federal agencies for certain transportation projects within Ohio—a change that ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn said would have significant benefits without harming environmental protections: “Eliminating these duplicative reviews will result in substantial benefits to the department with no negative impact to the environment. Savings from this streamlined process will go directly into developing more projects and improving safety for Ohioans.”
A second piece of legislation led by Husted is the Water Resources Technical Assistance Act of 2025. The act seeks to improve access for rural communities to water funding programs administered by EPA by requiring a study from the U.S. Government Accountability Office on EPA’s Water Technical Assistance programs.
This bipartisan measure is co-led by Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), while Rep. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio) introduced a companion version in the House of Representatives.
Husted commented on its importance: “Ohio’s rural communities depend on the EPA’s Water Technical Assistance programs to access funding they need to update and sustain safe and reliable water projects. This bill would deliver better information to local leaders and eliminate barriers that slow the process down. I applaud Representative Taylor’s work on this issue in the House of Representatives, and I’m proud to lead the Senate version.”
Schiff emphasized support for underserved areas: “Rural and underserved communities rely on EPA’s water programs to build safe drinking and wastewater systems that are resilient to all kinds of challenges — from climate-fueled natural disasters to cybersecurity attacks. This legislation will help rural and underserved communities connect with the federal expertise and financial resources they need to ensure access to safe and affordable water.”
Taylor addressed ongoing issues faced by rural regions: “Rural Ohio communities have been left on the outside looking in when it comes to accessing federal funds, including the resources and technical expertise needed for critical water and wastewater projects. I am proud to have Senator Husted join me in leading the charge to reform a Biden-era program to finally enable rural communities to access the water assistance they should have been receiving all along.”
The House passed The Water Resources Technical Assistance Act of 2025 on September 15.
These efforts add onto Senator Husted’s previous work as part of his role on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Recently, his bipartisan Great Lakes Fishery Research Reauthorization Act was approved unanimously in the Senate.
Full text of both bills can be found here:
Bill Text 1
Bill Text 2
