Another CFACT Collegian is taking advantage of the Trump administration’s deregulation initiative targeting one of the Environmental Protection Agency’s decades-old stormwater permitting programs. For those unfamiliar, the Trump administration recently provided the American public with the unique opportunity to submit arguments to abolish or reform federal policies and regulations on regulations.gov.
Few Americans have heard of the EPA’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program, but CFACT Collegian Connor McEleney from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign argues its effects are felt each time a family purchases a home. Through regulations.gov, McEleney submitted a public comment challenging the EPA program, which requires local governments to obtain federal permits and implement extensive stormwater management practices.
Since the 1980s, these regulations have grown significantly, now imposing costly requirements on communities and homebuilders, McEleney argues. According to his proposal, the mandates often require expensive infrastructure projects and result in restrictive land-use policies.
McEleney cites research from economist Judge Glock of the Manhattan Institute, signaling that stormwater regulations link to higher housing prices, with some studies estimating increases ranging from 14 to 27 percent.
“When government [restricts] the amount of buildable land, homebuyers pay the price,” he wrote in his public comment.
McEleney recommends scaling back portions of the EPA’s MS4 requirements. His proposal would preserve key Clean Water Act protections while reducing burdens on local governments and homebuilders.
McEleney joins a growing number of CFACT Collegians who’ve moved beyond campus activism to participate in the federal rulemaking process. This opportunity allows students to engage directly with the regulatory process through substantive policy recommendations.