Maintaining Cooperative Permitting Act of 2025

This bill prevents the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from withdrawing approval of certain state permit programs for discharging dredged or fill material into waters, unless Congress explicitly authorizes the withdrawal. It also clarifies that such program approvals are not considered rules or regulations.

Sec. 2, State discharge of dredged or fill material programs: The bill ratifies and makes fully effective the existing state permit programs for Michigan, New Jersey, and Florida under the Clean Water Act. The EPA Administrator cannot withdraw approval of these programs without a new law passed after this bill's enactment. For Florida, there is a 90-day transition period where both the Army Corps of Engineers and Florida can issue permits. If the EPA finds another state's program is comparable to these three, it must approve that program, notify the Army Corps and the state, and the Corps must then stop issuing federal permits for activities covered by the state program. The bill also adds a new provision to the Clean Water Act stating that approval of a state permit program is not considered a rule or regulation.