Introduction to the clean water act watershed academy. Epa finalized minor amendments to its clean water act cwa regulations to codify that under the npdes program, only sufficiently sensitive analytical test methods can be used when completing an npdes permit application and when performing sampling and analysis pursuant to monitoring requirements in an npdes permit. The river network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring rivers, says. Under the clean water act, biological pesticides and the leftover residues from pesticide applications are considered pollutants. Compilation of water quality goals numerical water quality limits from the literature for over 850 chemical constituents and water. Watershed academy web introduction to the clean water act.
Cwa section 301b1c requires that npdes permit limits be as stringent as necessary to meet water quality standards. The clean water program in deps regional offices issues the majority of npdes permits for sewage, industrial waste iw, iw stormwater, municipal separate storm sewer system ms4, concentrated animal feeding operation cafo, biosolids and pesticides activities or facilities that are regulated under the npdes program. Overview of epa, the clean water act, and the national. Since then, local and state governments have worked with industries and wastewater treatment plants to reduce point source pollution to improve the. The clean water act cwa is the primary federal law in the united states governing water pollution. Pilgrim nuclear power station, plymouth, massachusetts. Stormwater program, npdes water pacific southwest us epa.
Does a discharge to groundwater require a clean water act. The federal environmental protection agency epa has delegated permit authority to state environmental agencies. In 1975, the bureau of water received authority from the environmental protection act epa to administer the npdes permit program in sc. Permits issued from the national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes cover those applications where pesticides will. On april 15, 2019, the epa issued an interpretative statement clarifying the application of clean water act cwa or the act permitting requirements to groundwater. Water quality npdes the city of yorba linda implements a comprehensive storm water program as required by the federal clean water act amendments of 1987. Section 123 of the bill silvicultural activities amends the clean water act to make clear that a national pollutant discharge elimination system permit is not required for stormwater runoff from logging roads and other specified forestry activities. The national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes permit program was established under the federal clean water act to control water pollution by regulating the discharge of pollutants into waters of the united states. Clean water act permit programs, including the npdes permit program, are structured to provide permit coverage to point sources in one of two ways. The clean water act cwa is the cornerstone of surface water quality protection in the united states.
Controversies over redefining fill material under the. Clean water act, section 402 national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes permits the information on this page will help you determine if you need to apply for a permit or how to comply with a permit already issued to wsdot. As of april 10, 2011, discharges into a water of the u. The 1987 water quality act wqa added section 402 p to the clean water act, requiring that epa issue national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes permits for the following five categories of stormwater discharges. Text of the clean water act concerning permits for discharging pollutants into us waters. The npdes performs admirably in those places where a wellinformed public a keeps an eye on clean water act goals, b monitors watershed activities, c. Created in 1972 by the clean water act, the npdes permit program is authorized to state governments by epa to perform many permitting, administrative, and enforcement aspects of the program. The national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes permit program is a requirement of the federal clean water act, which is intended to protect and restore waters for fishable, swimmable uses. Npdes permit authorization to discharge, dated april 28, 1976. The basis of the cwa was enacted in 1948 and was called the federal water pollution control act, but the act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. The clean water acts national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes requires a permit for industrial pollution discharges to waters of the u. The npdes permit program the discharge of pollutants, otherwise illegal under section 301a of the clean water act, can be authorized by compliance with an npdes permit. National pollutant discharge elimination system npdes.
National pollutant discharge elimination system storm water discharges not associated with specialuse areas for cycleyear 5 watersheds in compliance with the provisions of the federal clean water act federal water pollution control act, 33 u. Clean water act 800r90104 compliance enforcement policy compendiumm npdes program ii. Npdes prohibits discharges of pollutants from any point source into the nations waters except as allowed under an npdes permit. The modern clean water act has its origins in the federal water pollution control act amendments of 1972. On february 7, 2014, president obama signed into law the 2014 farm bill, h. The national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes permit program is a requirement of the federal clean water act, which is intended to protect water quality and restore waters for fishable, swimmable uses. The water quality standards are implemented in npdes permits through. Clean water act regulation of oil and gas wastewater. Some states have chosen to develop ground water quality standards mentioned in the section entitled.
Illinois water quality and the clean water act 2 in this study, elpc looked at the standards on a few key pollutant parameters. The act does not deal directly with ground water or with water quantity issues. Virginia coastal zone management program npdes program clean water act incorporation pursuant to section 307f of the coastal zone management act czma, 16 u. All npdes permits are written to ensure the nations receiving waters will achieve specified water quality standards wqs. The basic structure of the act was established at that time, although it was refined and refocused by the clean water act amendments of 1977 from which it also took its name and by the water quality act amendments of. The clean water act contains two different permitting regimes. Epa has established effluent guidelines to apply to different industrial discharges, including for oil and gas extraction. The 1972 law gave epa the authority to set effluent standards on an industry basis technologybased and. Notice of intent to sue clean water act section 505 33 u. The cwa was a response to increasing public concern for the environment and for the condition of the nations waters. Clean water act title iv sections 401 406 clean water act title v sections 501 519 clean water act title vi sections 601 607 miscellaneous references.
Epa concluded in the statement that the clean water act is. Pollution control act of 1972, as amended by the clean water act of 1977. National pollutant discharge elimination system section 404 of the clean water act. Introduction to wqs or water quality standards that address.
Use of sufficiently sensitive test methods for permit applications and reporting. The clean water act cwa establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the united states and regulating quality standards for surface waters. The npdes permit program addresses water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the united states. Releases from a point source to groundwater national. Ma0003557 dear administrator mccarthy, for the last 18 years, the pilgrim nuclear power station pilgrim in plymouth, massachusetts has been withdrawing cooling water from and discharging polluted and heated water to cape cod bay under an.
Epa concluded that releases of pollutants to groundwater are categorically excluded from the act s permitting requirements because congress. Illinois standards, or lack of standards, were then analyzed to determine whether they are protective of the environment by comparing them with the federally suggested criteria and the standards of. National pollutant discharge elimination system npdes section 402 of the clean water act requires that all construction sites on an acre or greater of land, as well as municipal, industrial and commercial facilities discharging wastewater or stormwater directly from a point source a pipe, ditch or channel into a surface water. Permitting discharges of dredge or fill material us epa. A permit is now required for certain pesticide applications made to u.
Npdes regulatory history national pollutant discharge. Clean water act cwa or act establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into u. The goal of the coalition and intent of this white paper is to highlight the major failings of the current way the clean water act is implemented and to recommend a new path that will restore a partnership between federalstate. The npdes program covers several pollutant sources that are regulated by.
Development of the clean water act and the npdes program of the factors that states must consider in the development of their water quality standards. Clean water act compliance enforcement policy compendiumm. Part 31, water resources protection, of the natural. Congress declared that the primary objective of the clean water act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nations waters. Overview of the current and projected npdes universe continued stormwater. The national stormwater centers certified courses focus on training stormwater inspectors who are charged with understanding permits, interpreting and enforcing permit regulations, and who serve as our best defense against pollutants entering americas waterbodies by inspecting regulated construction, municipal, and industrial activities. Community advocacy is important in the npdes permitting system. Water permitting 101 abstract the national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes program has achieved significant reductions in pollutant discharges since it was established by the federal water pollution control act amendments of 1972.
The program is designed to regulate discharges of pollutants into the waters of the united states and to regulate quality standards for surface waters. The national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes permit program was created by section 402 of the 1972 federal clean water act. Clean water act does not require attaining water quality criteria at the point of discharge states have discretion to allow dilution states should specify any conditions on dilution allowances as part of their water quality standards 122. The fayetteville works facility and its npdes permit. New law eliminates any clean water act npdes permit.
1061 122 223 620 1396 1309 143 1113 448 1343 690 923 373 463 473 454 77 32 715 1529 1330 285 1145 1479 364 1027 1163 241 619 431 1174 1406 252 138 266 434