Search Results for keywords:"Clean Water Act"

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a virtual public meeting for the Animal Agriculture and Water Quality Subcommittee, a part of the Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee, on December 6, 2024. This meeting will discuss recommendations for improving the Clean Water Act's permitting program for concentrated animal feeding operations. The public comment period for the meeting has been extended to December 5, 2024. People interested in attending or providing comments should register on the EPA's website.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided to withdraw a proposed rule that aimed to set federal water quality standards for Indian reservation waters. This decision allows the EPA to instead focus on helping Tribes develop their own water quality standards in line with the Clean Water Act, under a provision that allows eligible Tribes to be treated like states. While 52 of the 84 eligible Tribes have already established these standards, the EPA intends to continue assisting Tribes in building their capability to manage their own water quality programs. The withdrawal follows feedback from 3,314 public comments on the proposed rule.

The Department of Justice has lodged a proposed Consent Decree in a lawsuit concerning natural resource damages caused by Vigor Industrial, LLC and Exxon Mobil Corp. The lawsuit involves claims under environmental laws for damages in Seattle's Lower Duwamish River. The proposed settlement requires the defendants to carry out and maintain habitat restoration projects and pay $815,816.59 for assessment costs. Public comments on the proposed Consent Decree and the Draft Restoration Plan will be accepted for 30 days following the notice's publication.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 announced a Revised Designation Decision requiring that stormwater discharges from the Los Alamos Urban Area and Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico get permit coverage under the Clean Water Act. These areas are contributing to violations of New Mexico's water quality standards. This decision responds to a petition by Amigos Bravos and revises a previous ruling that was sent back for reconsideration by a court. The revised documentation and supplementary information are available online for review.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released draft national recommended water quality criteria for public comment, focusing on three per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS). These criteria are designed to protect human health and are based on the latest scientific data, providing states and tribes with information for setting their own water quality standards. Comments on this draft can be submitted until February 24, 2025, and the EPA will use this feedback to finalize the criteria. Once finalized, these recommendations will offer guidance on minimizing health risks from PFAS exposure in drinking water and aquatic food sources.

The Department of Justice has proposed a consent decree as part of a lawsuit against the City of Cahokia Heights for violating the Clean Water Act by discharging sewage into local waterways without permission. The consent decree, lodged with the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, requires the City to make substantial improvements to its sewer system to comply with the law. The public is invited to comment on this decree within sixty days of its publication. More details and the consent decree can be found on the Justice Department's website.

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (Vermont DEC) received a request from Ampersand Gilman Hydro, LP for a water quality certification, related to a project, as per the Clean Water Act. This request was submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on January 24, 2025. Under FERC's regulations, Vermont DEC has until January 24, 2026, to make a decision on this certification request. If Vermont DEC does not act within this timeframe, their authority to certify the request is considered waived.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission received an application from the California Department of Water Resources and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power on January 29, 2021. This application seeks a water quality certification under the Clean Water Act from the California State Water Resources Control Board. The California Water Board has one year to act on this request; if they do not respond by January 29, 2022, their authority to certify is considered waived. This notification is a procedural matter ensuring the Commission and relevant bodies are informed about the certification timeline.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request titled "Water Quality Standards Regulation" to the Office of Management and Budget for review. This request, referred to as an extension, is tied to standards aimed at protecting water quality in the United States. The public is invited to submit comments until March 31, 2025. The collection involves various entities, including states, territories, and Tribes, and is estimated to take about 493,362 hours annually, costing around $25 million in labor and operational expenses.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the comment period for a draft risk assessment concerning Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) in sewage sludge. Initially published on January 15, 2025, the public now has until August 14, 2025, to submit their comments. This extension grants additional time for stakeholders to review the document, which evaluates potential health and environmental risks related to the use and disposal of sewage sludge. The assessment aims to inform potential future regulations under the Clean Water Act.