Regulation and monitoring of pollution: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 00:48, 30 September 2022

Revision as of 16:55, 30 September 2022

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====Water pollution====

Enactment of the 1972 [[Clean Water Act]] (CWA) required thousands of facilities to obtain permits for discharges to [[navigable]] waters, through the [[Clean Water Act#NPDES permits for point sources|National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)]]. It also required EPA to establish national technology-based discharge standards for municipal [[sewage treatment]] plants, and for many industrial categories (the latter are called "[[effluent guidelines]].")<ref name="US CWA 1972">United States. Federal Water Pollution Control Amendments of 1972, {{USPL|92|500}}, {{USC|33|1251}} ''et seq.'' October 18, 1972.</ref>

Municipal and industrial permittees are required to regularly collect and analyze wastewater samples, and submit [[Discharge Monitoring Report]]s to a state agency or EPA.<ref>{{cite report |author=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |date=2010 |title=NPDES Permit Writers' Manual |url=https://www.epa.gov/npdes/npdes-permit-writers-manual |id=EPA- 833-K-10-001 |pages=8–14}}</ref> Amendments in 1977 required stricter regulation of [[toxic]] pollutants.<ref>U.S. Clean Water Act of 1977, {{USPL|95|217}}, December 27, 1977. "Toxic Pollutants." Section 53. {{usc|33|1317}}</ref> In 1987 Congress expanded NPDES permit coverage to include municipal and industrial [[stormwater]] discharges.<ref>U.S. Water Quality Act of 1987, {{USPL|100|4}}, February 4, 1987. "Section 405. Municipal and Industrial Stormwater Discharges." {{USCSub|33|1342|p}}</ref> {{Further|United States regulation of point source water pollution}}

The Act also requires use of [[Best management practice for water pollution|best management practices]] for a wide range of other water discharges including [[nonpoint source pollution]].<ref>U.S. Clean Water Act,. "Section 319. Nonpoint source management programs." {{uscUSC|33|1329}},. "Section 404. Permits for dredged or fill material." {{uscUSC|33|1344}}</ref>

Thermal pollution is only regulated in the United States under the Clean Water Act. Section 316(a). This allows for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) to limit effluent discharge to protect the biotic life supported by a waterbody. The NPDES is empowered to issue permits for thermal variance that is differing from expected thermal limits in water waste.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hanlon|first=James A.|date=28 October 2008|title=Implementation of Clean Water Act Section 316(a) Thermal Variances in NPDES Permits (Review of Existing Requirements)|url=https://www3.epa.gov/region1/npdes/merrimackstation/pdfs/ar/AR-338.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=11 November 2021|website=EPA}}</ref>

[[Thermal pollution]] isdischarges onlyare regulated inunder thesection United316(a) States underof the CWA.<ref>U.S. Clean Water Act. "Section 316(a). ThisThermal allowsdischarges." for{{USCSub|33|1326|a}}</ref> theNPDES Nationalpermits Pollutantinclude Discharge[[effluent Eliminationlimitation]]s Systemon (NPDES) to limit effluentwater dischargetemperature to protect the biotic life supported by a waterbodywater body. TheA NPDESpermittee ismay empoweredrequest toa issuevariance permitsto the fortypical thermal variancelimitations. thatAlternate islimitations differingmay frombe expectedissued thermalin limitslimited circumstances, if the permittee has provided sufficient proof through data submission that aquatic life in the water wastebody will be protected.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hanlon |first=James A. |date=28 October 2008 |title=Implementation of Clean Water Act Section 316(a) Thermal Variances in NPDES Permits (Review of Existing Requirements) |url=https://www3.epa.gov/region1/npdes/merrimackstation/pdfs/ar/AR-338.pdf|url-status=live |access-datepublisher=11EPA November 2021|websiteid=Memorandum to EPA Regional Water Division Directors}}</ref>

The Act also requires use of [[Best management practice for water pollution|best management practices]] for a wide range of other water discharges including [[nonpoint source pollution]].<ref>Clean Water Act, {{usc|33|1329}}, {{usc|33|1344}}</ref>

{{Further|United States regulation of point source water pollution}}

====Land pollution====