The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it may seek an amendment to the Clean Water Act, arguing that a recent Florida ruling and others have created confusion over when and where permits are required. Some judges are interpreting the law in a manner Congress never intended, the EPA contends.

“In the last several years, courts have offered very different and conflicting interpretations of the Clean Water Act, and we think it’s important to add certainty and clarity,” Benjamin Grumbles, EPA’s assistant administrator for water, said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

“We stand ready to work with Congress if Congress chooses to amend the Clean Water Act to clarify when a permit is needed and when it isn’t.”

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