Wastewater dischargers are not complying with EPA pollution control permits
Technical Report
·
OSTI ID:6808323
The Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System limits the type and amount of pollution a municipal or industrial facility may legally discharge into the nation's waterways. Based on a review of 531 randomly selected major dischargers in six states, GAO estimated that 82 percent of these dischargers exceeded their permit limits at least once during an 18-month period and that 31 percent of the dischargers in the six states that exceeded permit limits for one or more pollutants did so by 50 percent or more for at least 4 consecutive months. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) relies on self-monitoring by dischargers to detect and report noncompliance. Because such information is not always provided or is incomplete, EPA and the states are not aware of all permit noncompliance and, thus, who should be subject to enforcement action. EPA and state enforcement policies frequently allow noncompliance to continue for long periods of time. In addition, EPA and state enforcement actions have declined. GAO makes several recommendations to the Administrator, EPA, for improving the permit program.
- Research Organization:
- General Accounting Office, Washington, DC (USA). Resources, Community and Economic Development Div.
- OSTI ID:
- 6808323
- Report Number(s):
- GAO/RCED-84-53; ON: TI84901115
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
520600* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Regulations -- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CLEAN WATER ACT
ENFORCEMENT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IMPLEMENTATION
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
LAWS
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MARINE DISPOSAL
MUNICIPAL WASTES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POLLUTION LAWS
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL ACTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION ABATEMENT
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
520600* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Regulations -- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CLEAN WATER ACT
ENFORCEMENT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IMPLEMENTATION
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
LAWS
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MARINE DISPOSAL
MUNICIPAL WASTES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POLLUTION LAWS
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL ACTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION ABATEMENT