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National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) |  |
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Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater PlansOVERVIEW EPA, the States and municipalities have achieved real progress in implementing the Clean Water Act (CWA) and protecting public health and the environment. The challenges today, however, are more complex than those of the past. Population growth, aging infrastructure, increasingly complex water quality issues and the current economic challenges are stressing the implementation of CWA programs. Today, EPA, States and municipalities often focus on each CWA requirement individually without full consideration of all CWA obligations. This approach may have the unintended consequence of constraining a municipality from addressing, in a cost-effective manner, its most serious water quality issues first. An integrated planning process has the potential to identify a prioritized critical path to achieving the water quality objectives of the CWA by identifying efficiencies in implementing overlapping and competing requirements that arise from separate wastewater and stormwater projects, including capital investments and operation and maintenance requirements. This approach can also lead to more sustainable and comprehensive solutions, such as green infrastructure, that improves water quality as well as supports other quality of life attributes that enhance the vitality of communities. The CWA and implementing regulations, policy and guidance provide the necessary flexibility to implement an integrated planning process. The integrated planning approach is not about lowering existing regulatory or permitting standards or delaying necessary improvements. Rather, it is intended to be an option provided to help municipalities meet their CWA obligations by optimizing their infrastructure improvement investments through the appropriate sequencing of work. WHAT CAN I FIND ON THIS WEB SITE? October 27, 2011, Memorandum entitled Achieving Water Quality Through Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Plans (PDF) (3 pp, 1.06MB) INTEGRATED PLANNING WORKSHOPS In conjunction with the October 27, 2011 memorandum, EPA is developing a draft framework document (PDF) (5 pp, 113K) that will more fully describe the integrated planning concept and will help EPA work with State and local governments towards providing integrated solutions to multiple causes of water pollution. EPA held five workshops to solicit the individual views of stakeholders on the draft framework document and the use of integrated municipal and wastewater plans to meet the water quality objectives of the CWA. The workshops were held at EPA Regional offices on the following dates:
The workshops included a facilitated discussion with representatives of organizations that represent elected local officials, publicly owned treatment works (POTW), municipal stormwater managers, state NPDES permitting and enforcement authorities, and environmental advocacy groups to assist EPA in developing the framework through gaining better understanding of their individual perspectives. A Federal Register notice (PDF) (2 pp, 157K) providing additional information on the workshops was published on January 11, 2012. The Federal Register notice provides instructions on how the public may also provide input to the Agency through e-mail, fax or mail. WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION? The links presented below provide more information related to NPDES program areas that address municipal obligations. |
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