Tag: NPDES

SCOTUS Hears Case Over San Francisco’s Wastewater Discharges

Arguments in City and County of San Francisco v. EPA were heard before the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in October. The question before SCOTUS is whether the Clean Water Act (CWA) allows the EPA (or an authorized state) “to impose generic prohibitions in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits that subject […]

EPA Orders Vermont to Improve NPDES Permitting Oversight

The EPA has put the state of Vermont on notice that it must make corrections to its administration of the federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program or lose the authority altogether. In a letter dated September 6, 2024, the EPA Region 1 administrator informed Vermont authorities it had received a joint petition from […]

Seafood Processor Receives $168K Penalty for CWA Violations

The EPA recently announced Starbound, LLC, a subsidiary of Aleutian Spray Fisheries, Inc., in Seattle, Washington, reached a consent agreement with the Agency that includes penalties of $168,000 for alleged Clean Water Act (CWA) violations at operations off the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. CWA NPDES permit regulations The CWA prohibits the “discharge of […]

GAO Recommends Significant Changes for EPA to Reach NPDES Compliance Goal

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports that almost 11,000 facilities exceeded their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitted wastewater discharge limits and illegally discharged wastewater pollutants in 2018. “EPA has a goal to reduce by half significant noncompliance with individual NPDES permits by the end of FY 2022,” according to the GAO. “But the […]

Electronic recordkeeping

Final Rule Issued on NPDES Electronic Reporting

On November 2, 2020, a final rule addressing the Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Electronic Reporting Rule (eRule) was published by the EPA in the Federal Register.

Water, groundwater

Supreme Court Says Permits Required for Groundwater Discharges

By a tally of 6 to 3, the U.S. Supreme Court found that under certain circumstances, a discharge of pollution from a point source that travels in groundwater before entering a navigable water subjects the discharger to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

stormwater discharge

NPDES Permitting Now Required for Some California Business Licenses

As of January 1, 2020, certain industrial facilities in California must provide the cities or counties in which they are located with proof that they are enrolled in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) governing stormwater discharges before they can obtain or renew a business license. The cities/counties must then confirm on the business […]