I will restore Florida's permitting independence by bringing permitting authority back to Florida communities.

I am proudly co-leading a bill that restores Florida's permitting independence... To put the power back in the hands of Floridians, I co-led the "Restore Florida Water Independence Act of 2026," to bring permitting authority back to our communities

Mast says he is co-leading legislation to return wetland permitting authority from the federal government to Florida communities.

Restoring Florida's permitting independence - Blog - Congressman Brian Mast
primary · official_post · model gpt-5.4-mini

the EPA’s approval of Florida’s permitting application must be vacated

The D.C. Circuit vacated EPA approval of Florida's permitting program, leaving the state permitting authority Mast wants to restore still blocked as of March 27, 2026.

never same_term

24-5101-2165874.pdf
secondary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 96%

I co-led the “Restore Florida Water Independence Act of 2026,” to bring permitting authority back to our communities

Mast says he is actively co-leading legislation to shift permitting authority back to Florida communities, which is concrete action but not completion of the promise.

partial same_term A for effort

Restoring Florida's permitting independence - Blog - Congressman Brian Mast
primary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 94%

To put the power back in the hands of Floridians, I co-led the “Restore Florida Water Independence Act of 2026,” to bring permitting authority back to our communities—because Florida knows Florida’s waters best.

Mast publicly claimed concrete legislative action in the 119th Congress by co-leading a bill intended to restore Florida permitting authority, but this statement does not show enactment or restored authority.

partial same_term A for effort

Restoring Florida's permitting independence - Blog - Congressman Brian Mast
primary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 95%

EPA’s approval of Florida’s permitting application must be vacated at least because that approval relied on the problematic ITS... and because the EPA approved the application without the benefit of consultation with the NMFS.

The D.C. Circuit held that EPA approval of Florida’s Section 404 permitting application had to be vacated, meaning the promised restoration of Florida permitting authority had not been achieved as of the appellate decision.

never same_term

24-5101-2165874.pdf
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 98%

Those serious deficiencies cannot be addressed with further explanation on remand, and it is unclear whether the program’s approval can be rehabilitated. Thus, the normal remedy of vacatur is warranted. For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the judgment of the district court.

The appellate court affirmed vacatur rather than allowing Florida’s permitting program to remain in force, directly supporting a failure outcome for the promise by July 1, 2026.

never same_term

24-5101-2165874.pdf
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 98%

A federal court order was issued just before midnight on Feb. 15, 2024, divesting DEP of its authority to issue State 404 Program permits in Florida. Consequently, all activity under the State 404 Program is paused until further order of a court.

Florida DEP’s own program page states that a federal court order stripped DEP of State 404 permitting authority and paused program activity, showing the authority Mast promised to restore was not operative.

never unknown

State 404 Program - Florida Department of Environmental Protection
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 96%

EPA has determined that the State of Florida has the necessary authority to operate a CWA Section 404 program... Therefore, EPA has taken final action to approve Florida's assumption of the program.

The Federal Register notice confirms the underlying permitting authority Florida once had and Mast seeks to restore, but that approval predates the current promise and was later vacated by the courts.

partial unknown

EPA's Approval of Florida's Clean Water Act Section 404 Assumption Request
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 94%

Florida's program assumption will be applicable December 22, 2020.

This confirms Florida’s State 404 assumption had an effective date in 2020, establishing the benchmark for what “restoring” permitting independence would mean, but it does not show that Mast restored it after the 2024-2026 court rulings.

partial unknown

EPA's Approval of Florida's Clean Water Act Section 404 Assumption Request
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 93%

State assumption of the 404 program provides a streamlined permitting procedure within which both federal and state requirements are addressed by state permits... and affords the state greater control over its natural resources while complying with federal law.

Florida DEP describes the policy goal as state control and streamlined state permits, matching the substance of Mast’s promise, but the same page says the program was paused by court order.

partial unknown

State 404 Program - Florida Department of Environmental Protection
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 90%

Latest Action: House - 04/20/2024 Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. This bill has the status Introduced.

A related House bill to codify state Section 404 programs was introduced in the prior Congress but did not advance beyond introduction, illustrating that legislative efforts had not delivered restored authority.

never unknown

H.R.8101 - Maintaining Cooperative Permitting Act of 2024
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 88%

This bill has the status Introduced... The program of the State of Florida, as described in the notice of the Environmental Protection Agency entitled “EPA's Approval of Florida's Clean Water Act Section 404 Assumption Request”... including the Programmatic Biological Opinion with Incidental Take Statement associated with the program.

The Senate companion bill would have ratified Florida’s Section 404 program, but Congress.gov records it only as introduced, so it did not fulfill the promise.

never unknown

S.4162 - Maintaining Cooperative Permitting Act of 2024
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 87%