Ag Report: Court Will Weigh Clean Water Rule, House Panel Stretches Positive Train Control Deadline
The 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals will consider the Clean Water Rule Dec. 8. The court will hear oral arguments over whether it has the authority to hear a challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Water Rule, or "Waters of the U.S." rule, from industry groups and states. The same court earlier this month placed a nationwide injunction on the rule until the court can decide whether it has jurisdiction to hear the case.
A bill marked up by the House Transportation Committee includes a deadline extension for Positive Train Control. The six-year highway bill marked up Thursday includes the extension sought by the rail industry and advocated for by agriculture groups. By including the extension, the bill matches a move in the Senate last year that also includes an extension of the deadline. The Senate passed its version of a highway bill last summer. Current surface transportation legislation is set to expire Thursday (Oct. 29), and it's expected that Congress will pass another short-term extension while the House and Senate reconcile their two different bills.