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Water Enforcement Policy, Guidance and Publications

This section provides policy and guidance documents related to enforcement of the clean waters and drinking water.

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On this page:

• Clean Water Act (CWA) Policy and Guidance Documents
  • Action Plans / Strategies
  • General CWA Policy and Guidance
  • National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
  • Oil Pollution Act (Section 311- OPA)
  • Wetlands
  • Pretreatment (Section 307b)
  • Citizen Suits (Section 505)
• Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Policy and Guidance Documents

Clean Water Act Policy and Guidance Documents

Action Plans / Strategies

• CWA Chesapeake Bay Enforcement and Compliance Strategy (PDF) (13 pp, 404K)

Clean Water Action Plan

• Clean Water Act Action Plan (PDF) (15 pp, 193K) - (10/15/09)

• Transmittal of Clean Water Act Action Plan (PDF) (2 pp, 57K) - (10/14/09)

• U.S. EPA Responses to Public Input Received on Development of the Clean Water Act Enforcement Action Plan (PDF) (30 pp, 120K) - (10/15/09)

General

• Interim Guidance to Strengthen Performance in the NPDES Program (PDF) (7 pp, 352K) - (6/22/10)

• Clarifications Regarding Toxicity Reduction and Identification Evaluations in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program (PDF) (2 pp, 222K) - (5/15/01)

• Whole Effluent Toxicity Basic Permitting Principles and Enforcement Strategy (PDF) (20 pp, 1.8MB) - (1/25/89)

• Issuance of Revised Interim Clean Water Act Settlement Penalty Policy, dated 03/01/95 (PDF) (26 pp, 172K) - (3/1/95)

• Final Rules of Practice Governing the Administrative Assessment of Class II Civil Penalties under the Clean Water Act (PDF) (5 pp, 616K) - (6/12/90)

• Guidance on the Distinction among Pleading, Negotiating, and Litigating Civil Penalties for Enforcement Cases under the Clean Water Act, dated 01/19/89 (PDF) (13 pp, 654K) - (1/19/89)

• Use of Stipulated Penalties in Administrative Orders on Consent under the CWA (PDF) (3 pp, 201K) - (9/6/85)

• Guidance on Effect of Clean Water Amendment Civil Penalty Assessment Language (PDF) (5 pp, 250K) - (8/28/87)

• Guidance Regarding Regional and Headquarters Coordination on Proposed and Final Administrative Penalty Orders on Consent under New Enforcement Authorities of the Water Quality Act (PDF) (7 pp, 381K) - (8/28/87)

• Guidance on Notice to Public and Commenters in Clean Water Act Class II Administrative Penalty Proceedings (PDF) (2 pp, 119K) - (8/28/87)

• Guidance on State Action Preemption Civil Penalty Actions under the Federal Clean Water Act (PDF) (10 pp, 1MB) - `(8/28/87)

• Guidance on Claim Splitting in Enforcement Actions under the Clean Water Act (PDF) (5 pp, 221K) - (8/8/87)

• Clean Water Act Section 505, Effect of Prior Citizen Suit Adjudications or Settlement on the United States ability to sue for same violations (PDF) (5 pp, 332K) - (6/19/87)

• Reference Document on Guidance and Procedures for Administrative Orders Issued Under Section 309 of the Clean Water Act (PDF) (40 pp, 2.8MB) - (9/26/86)

• Internet Publications of Notice of Proposed Penalties under Section 309(g) and 311(b)(6) of the Clean Water Act and Section 1423(c) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (PDF) (3 pp, 208K) - (11/23/05)

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National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

General NPDES

Enforcement Response

• Enforcement Management System Guide, dated 1989 (PDF) (381pp, 12.63MB) - (3/3/98)

Compliance

• Significant Noncompliance for Chlorine (PDF) (2 pp, 85K) - (8/20/96)

• Revision of NPDES Significant Noncompliance (SNC) Criteria to Address Violations of Non-Monthly Average Limits, dated 9/21/95 (PDF) (6 pp, 332K) - (9/21/95)

• Attachment 2 Significant Noncompliance Policy - OECA Summary of Responses to State Comments (PDF) (3 pp, 160K) - (10/25/07)

• Attachment 3 Significant Noncompliance Policy - Next Steps for the Three NPDES Policies (PDF) (4 pp, 206K) - (10/26/07)

• Cover Memo Transmitting WW SNC Policy to the Regions (10/23/07) (PDF) (2 pp, 129K) - (10/23/07)

• Attachment 1 Wet Weather Significant Noncompliance Policy (PDF) (20 pp, 963K) - (10/24/07)

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NPDES - CSO/SSO

• Guidelines for Federal Enforcement in CSO/SSO Cases (PDF) (6 pp, 331K) - (4/10/05)

• Compliance and Enforcement Strategy Addressing Combined Sewer Overflows and Sanitary Sewer Overflows, dated 04/27/2000 (PDF) (17 pp, 111K) - (4/4/00)

• Enforcement Management System (EMS) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Chapter X: Setting Priorities for Addressing Discharges from Separate Sanitary Sewers (PDF) (13 pp, 454K) - (3/7/96)

• Pilot Enforcement Approach in MOM Cases in Region 4 (PDF) (5 pp, 437K) - (1/23/03)

• Use of Green Infrastructure in NPDES Permits and Enforcement (PDF) (2 pp, 923K) - (8/16/07)

• Protecting Water Quality with Green Infrastructure in EPAs Water Permitting and Enforcement Programs (PDF) (5 pp, 343K) - (4/20/11)

• Achieving Water Quality Through Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Plans (PDF) (3 pp, 1.1MB) - (10/27/11)

• EPA's Report to Congress on Implementation and Enforcement of the CSO Control Policy - (1/29/02)

• EPA Enforcement Preventing Backup of Municipal Sewage into Basements (PDF) (4 pp, 1.2MB) - (9/06)

• EPA Strategically Addressing Raw Sewage Discharges Across Nation to Protect Public, Environment (PDF) (4 pp, 106K) - (3/03)

• Community Water Systems Required to Provide Consumers Annual 'Right-to-Know' Report on Drinking Water Quality by July 1, 2001 (PDF) (4 pp, 115K) - (5/01)

NPDES - CAFO

• Producers' Compliance Guide for CAFOs - (2/5/04)

NPDES - Stormwater

• Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Planning Approach Framework (PDF) (9 pp, 396K) - (6/5/12)

• Supplemental Guidance to the Interim Clean Water Act Settlement Penalty Policy (March 1, 1995) for Violations of the Construction Storm Water Requirements (PDF) (23 pp, 1MB) - (2/5/08)

• Revised Expedited Settlement Offer Program for Storm Water (Construction) (PDF) (20 pp, 849K) - (5/19/06)

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Oil Pollution Act (Section 311 - OPA)

• Final Guidance on the Issuance of Administrative Orders under Section 311(c) and (e) of the Clean Water Act (PDF) (38 pp, 78K) - (7/1/97)

• Civil Penalty Policy for Section 311(b)(3) and Section 311(j) of the Clean Water Act (PDF) (21 pp, 108K) - (8/1/98)

• Changes to Section 311 Expedited (SEEP) Programs (PDF) (7 pp, 572K) - (5/7/02)

Wetlands (Section 404)

• Revised CWA Section 404 Settlement Penalty Policy, dated 12/21/2001 (PDF) (24 pp, 221K) - (12/21/01)

• Injunctive Relief Requirements in Section 404 Enforcement Actions (PDF) (4 pp, 256K) - (9/29/99)

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Pretreatment [Section 307(b)]

• Enforcement Initiative for Failure to Adequately Implement Approved Local Pretreatment Programs (PDF) (6 pp, 419K) - (2/1/89)

• Local Limits Developmental Guidance (PDF) (134 pp, 2.5MB) - (7/1/04)

• Local Limits Developmental Guidance Appendices (PDF) ( pp, K) - (7/1/04)

• Guidance Manual for Implementation of Total Toxic Organics (TTO) Pretreatment Standards (PDF) (86 pp, 4.7MB) - (9/1/85)

• Guidance Manual for Iron and Steel Manufacturing Pretreatment Standards (PDF) (56 pp, 2.7MB) - (9/1/85)

• Guidance for Pulp, Paper and Paperboard and Builders Paper and Board Mills Pretreatment Standards (PDF) (49 pp, 2.3MB) - (7/1/84)

• Guidance Manual o the Development and Implementation of Local Discharge Limitations under the Pretreatment Program (PDF) (376 pp, 18.1MB) - (11/1/87)

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Citizen Suits (Section 505)

• Procedures for Agency Response to Clean Water Act Citizen Suit Activity (PDF) (7 pp, 717K) - (6/15/89)

• Notes on Section 505 CWA Citizen Suits (PDF) (6 pp, 292K) - (2/3/86)

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

General

• Internet Publications of Notice of Proposed Penalties under Section 309(g) and 311(b)(6) of the Clean Water Act and Section 1423(c) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (PDF) (3 pp, 205K) - (11/23/05)

Enforcement Response

• Enforcement Response Policy under the Safe Drinking Water Act (PDF) (2 pp, 105K) - (12/8/09)
• Enforcement Response Guide for Section 1433 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (PDF) (12 pp, 1.6MB) - (5/8/03)

Penalties

• New Public Water System Supervision Program Settlement Penalty Policy, dated 05/25/94 (PDF) (43 pp, 1.18MB) - (5/25/94)

• UIC Program Judicial and Administrative Order Settlement Penalty Policy (PDF) (31 pp, 953K) - (9/27/93)

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