S. 4956Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Farmers and Ranchers Relief Act of 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated July 16, 2026 at 2:35 PM UTC

The Farmers and Ranchers Relief Act of 2026 changes the Clean Water Act to give farmers, ranchers, and other landowners more freedom to move dredged or fill material without needing a permit. It tells courts to read the exemption for these discharges broadly and to limit the situations where a permit can be forced later. The goal is to reduce permitting paperwork and costs for agricultural landowners.

Key Provisions

Amends Section 404(f) of the Clean Water Act to change the wording so that the discharge of certain dredged or fill material is not automatically prohibited and does not automatically require a permit.
Adds a new paragraph stating that the exemption should be interpreted liberally, meaning permits are not required for those discharges when they meet the exemption criteria.
Specifies that the “recapture” provision (which could require a permit after an exemption) should be interpreted narrowly, limiting its use.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Environment and Public Works Committee

July 13, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 13, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Environment and Public Works Committee

July 13, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued July 13, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4956

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 13, 2026

Ms. Lummis (for herself, Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Ricketts) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

A BILL

To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify the scope of an exemption from permits for the discharge of dredged or fill material, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Farmers and Ranchers Relief Act of 2026.

Intent of Congress

It is the intent of Congress that, to provide meaningful permitting relief to landowners—

(1)

the exemptions under section 404(f)(1) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1344(f)(1)) for certain discharges of dredged or fill material from the prohibition under that Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) of unpermitted discharge of pollutants (commonly referred to as section 404(f) exemptions) be interpreted liberally; and

(2)

the recapture provision under section 404(f)(2) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. (f)(2)) be interpreted narrowly.

Clarification of exemption for non-prohibited discharge of dredged or fill material

Section 404(f) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1344(f)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the discharge and inserting The discharge; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

Construction

This subsection shall be construed liberally in favor of not prohibiting, and not requiring a permit under this section for, any discharge of dredged or fill material described in paragraph (1).