Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Focused Reduction of Effluence and Stormwater runoff through Hydrofracking Environmental Regulation Act of 2013” or the “FRESHER Act of 2013”.
Focused Reduction of Effluence and Stormwater runoff through Hydrofracking Environmental Regulation Act of 2013
A BILL
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study with respect to stormwater runoff from oil and gas operations, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Stormwater runoff from oil, gas, and mining operations
Limitation on permit requirement— Section 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1342) is amended by striking subsection (l) and inserting the following:
“(l) Limitation on permit requirement—The Administrator shall not require a permit under this section for discharges composed entirely of return flows from irrigated agriculture, nor shall the Administrator directly or indirectly, require any State to require such a permit.”
by striking paragraph (24); and
by redesignating paragraph (25) as paragraph (24).
Study—
In general— The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a study of stormwater impacts with respect to any area that the Secretary determines may be contaminated by stormwater runoff associated with oil or gas operations, which shall include—
an analysis of measurable contamination in such area;
an analysis of ground water resources in such area; and
an analysis of the susceptibility of aquifers in such area to contamination from stormwater runoff associated with such operations.
Report— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the results of studies conducted under paragraph (1).