Search Results for keywords:"Clean Water Act"

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a draft risk assessment regarding the presence of harmful chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, in sewage sludge for public comment. This risk assessment examines the potential risks to human health and the environment when the sludge is used as a soil conditioner, disposed of on the surface, or incinerated. The EPA highlights concerns for those living near these sites and using the products grown or raised there. The public can submit comments until March 17, 2025, which will help the EPA finalize the risk assessment and consider potential regulatory actions.

The Turlock & Modesto Irrigation District applied for a water quality certification with the California State Water Resources Control Board, as part of a project involving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The application was submitted and received on December 13, 2024. The Water Board has until December 13, 2025, to make a decision on the request. If the Water Board does not act by this date, their certification authority may be considered waived under the Clean Water Act.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice denying a petition to overturn a Consent Agreement and Proposed Final Order involving the Frederick-Winchester Service Authority and Frederick County Sanitation Authority. This decision was made after reviewing a petition that claimed false statements were made regarding economic benefits and pollution control practices by the respondents. The EPA determined that these statements were not materially false and did not warrant setting aside the order or holding a hearing. The case details, including the order, are accessible online for public review.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) concerning the Clean Water Act Section 404 State-Assumed Programs. This request, aimed at extending a currently approved information collection, allows states and tribes to manage their own permit programs for certain water discharges. The EPA seeks public comments on the necessity and accuracy of this proposed information gathering, which involves significant hours of work for applicants and states. The total estimated cost for the programs is over $5 million, and the collected information will be available for public review.

The Department of Justice has lodged a proposed Consent Decree concerning a case where the United States accused Thomas E. Lipar and associated companies of violating the Clean Water Act by discharging pollutants without a permit. To settle these allegations, the defendants are required to perform compensatory environmental mitigation and adhere to best management practices. The public had initially been given until February 25, 2021, to comment on this proposed agreement, but the deadline was extended to March 11, 2021. The details of the Consent Decree can be reviewed online or at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, although access may be restricted due to COVID-19.

On December 16, 2024, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy notified the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) about receiving a water quality certification request from Northern States Power Company for a project. According to the Clean Water Act, Michigan EGLE has until December 6, 2025, to decide on the certification request. If they don't act by this deadline, the request is considered waived. The notice, filed by the FERC Secretary, Debbie-Anne A. Reese, was published in the Federal Register with the document number 2025-00085.

The United States, on behalf of the Department of the Interior and the State of Iowa, is seeking public comments on a proposed settlement with Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). This settlement addresses the damage to natural resources caused by an ethanol spill from a derailed CP train near the Mississippi River in 2015. CP has agreed to pay $282,391 for restoration efforts, and in return, will not face legal action from the trustees for these claims. The public has 30 days from the notice's publication date to submit comments, which can be sent via email or mail.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reopened the comment period for two proposed rules published on January 17, 2025, and January 21, 2025. These rules involve adding certain PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory and updating methods for analyzing contaminants under the Clean Water Act. The new deadline for submitting comments is March 24, 2025. Interested parties are encouraged to review these proposed rules and share their feedback with the EPA.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued the 2021 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) for stormwater discharges from industrial activities. This permit replaces the expired 2015 MSGP and covers eligible operators in areas where the EPA is the permitting authority, including states, Indian country lands, and U.S. territories. The new permit introduces changes such as streamlined language, public signs for permit coverage, and new monitoring requirements. It will be effective from March 1, 2021, and lasts for five years, aiming to ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act.

The Department of Justice has filed a proposed update to the 2006 Consent Decree with the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. This case involves the United States and the State of Connecticut seeking action against the Metropolitan District of Hartford for violations of the Clean Water Act. The modification extends the deadline for removing certain sewage overflow points and sets a new plan for reducing water infiltration into the sewer system. Public comments on this proposal are open for thirty days, and the decree can be accessed online or by requesting assistance.