What are the three main goals of the Clean Water Act?
✓ The goal of the Clean Water Act was to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters. ✓ The interim goals of the Clean Water Act were to achieve “fishable and swimmable” waters by 1983, and eliminate all discharges of pollutants into navigable waters by 1985.
What was the purpose of the Clean Water Act and was it successful?
The Clean Water Act has been successful at reducing pollution that enters our rivers and lakes from 'point sources. ' These are single, identifiable sources of pollution like wastewater treatment plants and factories. However, 'nonpoint source' pollution is still a significant problem for clean water.
What are the two main goals of the Clean Water Act?
The Clean Water Act�s primary objective is to restore and maintain the integrity of the nation�s waters. The objective translates into two fundamental national goals: to eliminate the discharge of pollutants into the nation�s waters, and to achieve water quality levels that are fishable and swimmable.
What were the goals of the Clean Water Act and when was it enacted?
As amended in 1972, the law became commonly known as the Clean Water Act (CWA). The 1972 amendments: Established the basic structure for regulating pollutant discharges into the waters of the United States. Gave EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry.
How does the CWA protect the environment?
The CWA made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained: EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls discharges. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches.
Who does the Clean Water Act protect?
Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972 to protect all "waters of the United States.” Fifty years later, the law is still the main way we are able to safeguard our nation's waters from pollution and destruction, protecting public health and wildlife habitat.
What is the main purpose of the Clean Water Act CWA quizlet?
Its objective is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters by preventing point and non point pollution sources, providing assistance to publicly owned treatment works for the improvement of waste water treatment, and maintaining the integrity of wetlands.
What does the Clean Water Act say?
Clean Water Act (CWA), also known as Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, U.S. legislation enacted in 1972 to restore and maintain clean and healthy waters. The CWA was a response to increasing public concern for the environment and for the condition of the nation's waters.
What impact did the Clean Water Act have on the environment?
Most of 25 water pollution measures showed improvement, including an increase in dissolved oxygen concentrations and a decrease in fecal coliform bacteria. The share of rivers safe for fishing increased by 12 percent between 1972 and 2001.
Was the clean Air and water Act successful?
The Clean Air Act has proven a remarkable success. In its first 20 years, more than 200,000 premature deaths and 18 million cases of respiratory illness in children were prevented.
Why was the Clean Air Act successful?
“The CAA has delivered clear success stories—removing lead from gasoline, phasing out chlorofluorocarbons and other substances that deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, dramatically reducing sulfur emissions from power plants and transportation fuels.
What was an important result of the 1972 Clean Water Act?
The share of rivers safe for fishing increased by 12 percent between 1972 and 2001. The Clean Water Act has decreased measures of water pollution in U.S. lakes, streams and rivers.
What is NPDES permit?
NPDES permits generally contain water quality-based and/or technology-based standards for effluent discharges (specified in 40 CFR Parts 405-471 or by the best professional judgment of the permit writer), monitoring requirements, analytical testing methods, and reporting requirements. Dischargers generally must submit Discharge Monitoring Reports that record flow measurement, sample collection data, and laboratory test results on a quarterly or monthly basis.
What is the purpose of the National Defense Authorization Act of 1996?
The National Defense Authorization Act of 1996 amended section 312 by directing EPA and the Department of Defense to jointly establish Uniform National Discharge Standards for discharges (other than sewage) incidental to the normal operation of a vessel of the Armed Forces.
What is discharge from a large or medium municipal separate storm sewer system?
discharge which EPA or the state/tribe determines contributes to a violation of a water quality standard or which is a significant contributor of pollutants to waters of the United States.
What is the Clean Water Act?
Summary: The Clean Water Act (CWA) is the primary Federal statute regulating the protection of the nation’s water. The CWA aims to prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollution in the nation's water in order to "restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters", as described in CWA section 101 (a).
When was the CWA created?
Based on the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948, the CWA underwent significant reorganization and expansion in 1972, with subsequent major amendments in 1977 and 1987. The CWA does not specifically address contamination of groundwater resources, a subject addressed by provisions in other laws including the Safe Drinking Water Act; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.
What is 303 D?
Section 303 (d) and EPA water quality planning and management regulations require States to identify waters that do not meet or expected to meet applicable water quality standards even after technology-based or other required controls are in place. States are required to establish a priority ranking for such waters, taking into account the severity of the pollution and the uses to be made of such waters.
What is the federal law regarding water pollution?
Engaged in any activity resulting, or which may result, in the discharge or runoff of pollutants shall be subject to, and comply with, all Federal, State, interstate, and local requirements and administrative authority, and process and sanctions respecting the control and abatement of water pollution in the same manner as any nongovernmental entity.
What is the Clean Water Act?
(1972) A part of Environmental Law, the CWA uses two methods to protect the quality of water, both monitoring the water quality, and controlling discharge from point sources.
What is the purpose of a state implementation plan?
States are required to classify bodies of water by their intended use (swimming, fishing, water supply, navigation, industrial waste disposal), and then must adopt a plans - State Implementation Plan (SIP) to ensure the water meets these ambient water quality standards. Pollution limits must be set to ensure the water is of high enough quality for its designated use. Water quality is controlled by both technology-based standards (requiring polluters to use the best available technology - BAT - to limit pollution, and quality-based standards (by setting Total Maximum Daily Limits - TMDL).
What is the scope of the CWA?
The scope of the CWA is limited to the "navigable waters" of the united states, but this has been broadly defined to include wetlands, or areas that are underwater at times , but dry at other times , as well as areas directly adjacent to navigable waters.
Is it illegal to discharge a pollutant into the water?
Under §301, discharge of a pollutant from a point source into waters of the United States is illegal without a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit.#N# - Note that "discharge of a pollutant" is broadly defined such that almost anything can be considered a pollutant (including water with increased sediment that blocks sunlight, or even water at a warmer temperature). However, there are some major exceptions, including agriculture storm water discharge (specifically excluded from the statue) and non point source discharge (such as run-off from agriculture or forestry operations or parking lots)
What is the EPA's four step action plan?
EPA is proposing a Four-Step Action Plan that will 1) evaluate the need for a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for PFOA and PFOS, 2) propose designating PFOA and PFOS as “hazardous substances” through CERCLA or other statutory mechanism, 3) recommend groundwater cleanup levels at contaminated sites, and 4) develop toxicity values for GenX and PFBS.
What is the difference between the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act?
The CWA focuses on protecting the quality of navigable water by ensuring they are fishable and swimmable, while the SDWA focuses on public health and source water protection. Although these goals are not at odds, the statutes do not always work in harmony. In fact, they have been in conflict more and more in recent years.
What is the NACWA's goal?
They share a common goal of ensuring the safest possible drinking water and are advocating for a better way to protect public health without jeopardizing the regional watershed so many depend on for drinking water (see Fact Sheet ). NACWA is supporting their position.
What is the management of PFAS?
Another cross-cutting issue is the management of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the growing suite of similarly related chemical constituents. Contamination from these chemical substances has become a national issue because of its impact on drinking water, but local, state, and federal efforts to address the issue are already impacting the municipal clean water community under the CWA. These efforts could ultimately affect wastewater treatment operations and the way clean water utilities manage their biosolids.
Is PFAS a product of the wastewater treatment process?
NACWA submitted comments that support federal leadership from EPA in developing an appropriate response that reflects the risks posed by PFAS. Because PFAS are not a product of the wastewater treatment process and originate from outside POTWs, solutions for addressing PFAS contamination must focus on their original source.
Is LCR a drinking water issue?
Although the LCR is primarily a drinking water issue that impacts PW Ss under the SDWA, NACWA is urging EPA to consider the impacts to municipal clean water utilities that are regulated under the CWA. NACWA is concerned that EPA will take a “one-size-fits-all” approach in determining corrosion control treatment, rather than allow states and PWSs the flexibility to select the best corrosion protection method for their site-specific water quality needs and infrastructure characteristics. The Association is also concerned if PWSs increase their application and/or concentration of phosphate-based inhibitors for corrosion control, POTWs must also increase their efforts and advanced treatment processes—at great capital costs—to remove the added phosphorus.
Do you need a permit for a CWA?
Entities currently in full compliance with a SDWA permit may find themselves needing a CWA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to lawfully operate. This redundant regulatory burden and increased exposure to citizen suit enforcement may hamper beneficial reuse projects and result in the diversion of limited resources away from programs and projects with greater water quality benefits.
What is the unified AFO strategy?
Department of Agriculturejointly issued the Unified National Strategy for Animal Feeding Operations (Unified AFO Strategy),which outlined USDA and EPA’s plans for achieving better control of pollution from animal agricultureunder existing regulations. The following is a comparison chart that illustrates how the proposed rulecompares to the Unified AFO Strategy. Table 3-1 compares the proposed CAFO rule requirementswith the Unified AFO Strategy and identifies whether the proposed requirements are consistent with ornot addressed by the Unified AFO Strategy. The table further shows that, overall, the proposed rulemeets the intent of the Unified AFO Strategy.
What is an animal feeding operation?
The term “animalfeeding operation” is defined in EPA regulations as a “lot or facility” where animals “have been, are, orwill be stabled or confined and fed or maintained for a total of 45 days or more in any 12 month periodand crops, vegetation] forage growth, or post-harvest residues are not sustained in the normalgrowing season over any portion of the lot &] or facility.” This definition is intended to enable the NPDESauthorized permitting authority to regulate facilities where animals are stabled or confined and waste isgenerated.
What is NSPS in wastewater treatment?
NSPS reflect effluent reductions that are achievable based on the best available demonstratedcontrol technology. New facilities have the opportunity to install the best and most efficient productionprocesses and wastewater treatment technologies. As a result, NSPS should represent the greatestdegree of effluent reduction attainable through the application of the best available demonstrated controltechnology for all pollutants (i.e., conventional, non- conventional, and priority pollutants). Inestablishing NSPS, EPA is directed to take into consideration the cost of achieving the effluentreduction and any non-water quality environmental impacts and energy requirements.
What is the EPA's BPT?
In the guidelines for an industry category, EPA defines BPT effluent limits for conventional,toxic, and non-conventional pollutants. In specifying BPT, EPA looks at a number of factors. EPA firstconsiders the cost of achieving effluent reductions in relation to the effluent reduction benefits. TheAgency also considers the age of the equipment and facilities, the processes employed and any requiredprocess changes, engineering aspects of the control technologies, non-water quality environmentalimpacts (including energy requirements), and such other factors as the Agency deems appropriate(CWA 304(b)(1)(B)). Traditionally, EPA establishes BPT effluent limitations based on the average ofthe best performances of facilities within the industry of various ages, sizes, processes or other commoncharacteristics. Where existing performance is uniformly inadequate, EPA may require higher levels ofcontrol than currently in place in an industrial category if the Agency determines that the technology canbe practically applied.
What are effluent guidelines?
Effluent limitation guidelines and standards (which we also refer to today as “effluentguidelines” or “ELG”) are national regulations that establish limitations on the discharge of pollutants byindustrial category and subcategory. These limitations are subsequently incorporated into NPDESpermits. The effluent guidelines are based on the degree of control that can be achieved using variouslevels of pollution control technology, as outlined below. The effluent guidelines may also include non-numeric effluent limitations in the form of best management practices requirements or directly imposebest management practices as appropriate.
What is a NPDES permit?
Under the NPDES permit program, all point sources that directly discharge pollutants to watersof the U.S. must apply for a NPDES permit and may only discharge pollutants in compliance with theterms of that permit. Such permits must include any nationally established, technology based effluentdischarge limitations (i.e., effluent guidelines) (discussed below, in subsection III.A.2). In the absenceof national effluent limitations, NPDES permit writers must establish technology based limitations andstandards on a case-by-case basis, based on their “best professional judgement (BPJ).”
When was the CAFO regulation issued?
EPA’s regulation of wastewater and manure from CAFOs dates to the 1970s. The existingNPDES CAFO regulations were issued on March 18, 1976 (41 FR 11458). The existing nationaleffluent limitations guideline and standards for feedlots were issued on February 14, 1974 (39 FR.5704).