Stenographic transcripts of congressional hearings on the clean air act amendments of 1977. A snapshot of the clean water act provisions, as expressed in the amended law, is available in its entirety or by title from the listings below in portable document file pdf format. Indefinitely postponed in senate 08041977 measure indefinitely postponed in senate, h. Chapter 1 laws, regulations, policy, and water quality. The clean water act targeted municipal waste treatment and industrial pollution sources, sometimes called point sources. Circuit court of appeals ruled that stormwater discharges must be. At its top level, it divides the world of legislation into fifty topicallyorganized titles, and each title is further subdivided into any number of logical subtopics. Clean water act became the act s common name with amendments in 1977. In the mid1970s, clean water act funding of municipal wastewater treatment plants was. December 2002 includes scans of transcripts of hearings before the senate committee on public works, its subcommittee on air and water pollution and its subcommittee on water quality from june 2 to october 19, 1971 on legislation that resulted in the clean water. Clean water act became the acts common name through amendments in 1977. The clean water act was one of the united states first and most influential modern. Cwa of 1977 this act was thought of in 1972 and officially amended in 1977.
The clean water act has largely exempted these latter sources from regulation. Under section 303d of the 1972 clean water act, states, territories, and authorized tribes are required to develop lists of impaired waters. The clean water act requires achievement of best available technology economically achievable bat effluent limitations for all nonconventional pollutants by july 1, 1984 or not more than three years after epa establishes the limitations, up to july 1, 1987, whichever is later. Midcourse corrections in the section 404 program james r. The clean water act cwa is the primary federal law in the united states governing water pollution. Development of a best management practices program as part of the state areawide planning program 33 u. Stenographic transcripts of congressional hearings on the. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. The 1977 amendments to the clean air act prohibit employers from discharging or otherwise discriminating against any employee because the employee 1 commenced or is about to commence a proceeding under the caa or a proceeding for the administration or enforcement of any requirement imposed by the caa. Twentyfive years ago, only onethird of the nations waters were safe for fishing and swimming. Nov 27, 2002 the clean water act cwa establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the united states and regulating quality standards for surface waters. Congress added section 301g to the clean water act in 1977. The clean water act cwa passed in 1977 and acts as an amendment to the federal water pollution control act of 1972.
The clean water act of 1977 744 words 3 pages as swans drift with the current on a secluded lake in upper canada they think not of the water they are in but of dreams of the past and wants for the future. Clean air act amendments of 1977 employment law group. Environmental protection agency epa, which sets water quality standards, handles enforcement, and helps state and local governments develop their own pollution. Clean water act cwa, also known as federal water pollution control act amendments of 1972, u. The 1977 act bolstered the environmental protection agencys epa. The cwa outlawed the discharge of any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters unless a permit was obtained. In this twopage typed report, you will investigate the clean water act of 1977. Oct 04, 2016 the second major change affecting industrial compliance within the clean water act of 1977 is the additional time given to meet the 1977 requirements for best practicable technology. These questions need to be answered in the research report. Federal water pollution control act fwpca, clean water act 1977 national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes 1972 amendment to fwpca nebraska pretreatment program npp one of four states with a program concentrated animal feeding operations cafos not covered in this presentation 3. It served as a major revision of the federal water pollution control act of 1948, which had proven. Technical guidance manual for the regulations promulgated. Amendment to the federal water pollution control act of 1972 research paper directions.
Ndeq national pollutant discharge elimination system. The clean water act requires achievement of best available technology economically achievable bat effluent limitations for. The clean water act cwa or act establishes the basic structure for. Passed in 1972 and amended in 1977 and 1987, the clean water act was originally known as the federal water pollution control act. The federal water pollution control act as in effect immediately prior to the date of enactment of this act oct. Compensation, and liability act cercla, clean air act caa, clean water act, soil and water resources conservation act of 1977, united states code usc code of federal regulations cfr, and national environmental policy act nepa requirements, as well as other regulatory requirements. Under section 309, epa can issue administrative orders and can seek civil, criminal penalties against the violators of the act. The federal water pollution control act, comprising this chapter, was. This act also created a major public work financing program for the municipal sewage treatment. Federal water pollution control act unt digital library. In 1972, in response to growing public concern about serious and widespread water pollution, congress passed the clean water act to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nations waters. When congress was debating the 1972 act, they realized that corrections would need to be made as once the law went into effect when it became clear what worked and what did not.
Its objective is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nations waters. The clean water act of 1977 was meant to adjust and enhance some of the requirements of the 1972 act. Definition the environmental protection agency and department of the army have published a rule to repeal the 2015 clean water rule and recodify the regulatory text defining waters of the united states wotus that existed prior to 2015. Since the passage of the 1977 amendments, the statute became known as the. Water act required all municipal treatment plants to have at least secondary treatment by 1977. The cwas goal is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nations waters. At the time, twothirds of the countrys lakes, rivers and coastal waters had. Clean water act abstracts what is the clean water act. These impaired chapter 1 laws, regulations, policy, and water quality criteria.
Wetland losses were estimated at about 460,000 acres per year. It is a national amendment and the functions of the clean water act of 1977 are. Arcelor requested that the ohio environmental protection agency ohio epa, which administers the clean water act. The second major change affecting industrial compliance within the clean water act of 1977 is the additional time given to meet the 1977 requirements for best practicable technology. Proposed clean air act amendments of 1976 benchmark for faithful digital reproductions of monographs and serials. The clean water act cwa establishes the basic structure for regulating. Originally enacted in 1948, it was totally revised by amendments in 1972 that gave the act its current shape. Clayton barnett cwa of 1977 this act was thought of in 1972 and officially amended in 1977. Consequences of the clean water act and the demand for water.
Legislative history clean water act legal research. Sep 20, 2012 in 1948 and was called the federal water pollution control act, but the act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. Clean water act became the acts common name through amendments in. This version depicts the law as of november 27, 2002. However, much water pollution also comes from nonpoint pollution sources such as urban and agricultural runoff. Federal water pollution control act clean water act. Clean water act became the acts common name with amendments in 1977. The basis of the cwa was enacted in 1948 and was called the federal water pollution control act, but the act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. December 2002 includes scans of transcripts of hearings before the senate committee on public works, its subcommittee on air and water pollution and its subcommittee on water quality from june 2 to october 19, 1971 on legislation that resulted in the clean water act of 1972.
Water prevention and control of pollution act, 1974. The 1972 law gave epa the authority to set effluent standards on an industry basis technologybased and continued the. These impaired chapter 1 laws, regulations, policy. The cwa was a response to increasing public concern for the environment and for the condition of the nations waters. Pursuant to the tennessee water quality control act of 1977, t. Introduced in house 01061987 water quality act of 1987 title i. The meaning of the 1977 clean water act about epa us epa. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Amendments to title i amends the federal water pollution control act the clean water act to authorize appropriations for fy 1983 through 1990 for. Watershed academy web introduction to the clean water act. Chapter 1 laws, regulations, policy, and water quality criteria. A summary of the law introduction the principal law governing pollution of the nations surface waters is the federal water pollution control act, or clean water act. You may need a pdf reader to view some of the files on this page. As amended in 1977, the law became commonly known as the clean water act cwa.
The 1977 amendments, the clean water act of 1977 p. It served as a major revision of the federal water pollution control act of. The clean water act cwa is the primary federal law in the united states governing water. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Passed in 1972, the clean water act was a response to the nearly unchecked dumping of pollution into our waterways.
The purpose of this notice is to advise the public of the following proposed permit action and solicit comments and information necessary to evaluate the potential impact of the proposed activities on the aquatic environment. History of the clean water act the federal water pollution control act of 1948 was the first major u. The clean water act, with the new toxics provisions of 1977, provides controls over dispersal into the nations waters of those toxic substances which continue in use and the resource conservation and recovery act of 1976 provides similar controls over disposition of toxicsladen solid wastes, including municipal sewage sludge. The 1977 clean water act amendments, while not a major change in direction, do represent extensive modifications to the existing law. Established the basic structure for regulating pollutants discharges into. Moreover, section 305 b of the act requires epa to compile a biennial report to congress on the nations water quality. Point sources are distinct conveyances such as pipes or manmade ditches.
Compartmentalized thinking and the clean water act uf law. Growing public awareness and concern for controlling water pollution led to sweeping amendments in 1972. The united states code is meant to be an organized, logical compilation of the laws passed by congress. Clean water act of 1977 legislative history this link opens in a new window this takes you to an advanced search form in lexis advance that allows you to search through a cis prepared legislative history on the cwa of 1977. Environmental protection agency clean water act cre. A summary of the law summary the principal law governing pollution of the nations surface waters is the federal water pollution control act, or clean water act.
The clean water act cwa establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the united states and regulating quality standards for surface waters. Implementation of these amendments will result from many varied activities by various levels of government, private industry, and the public. Established the basic structure for regulating pollutants discharges into the waters of the united states. Indefinitely postponed in senate 0804 1977 measure indefinitely postponed in senate, h. This act amends in a number of significant respects the federal water pollution control act hereinafter referred to as fwpca, or the act, as amended in 1972. The dean water act of 1977 introduction on december 27, 1977, president carter signed into law the clean water act of 1977, p.
The cwa made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit authorized under the cwa was obtained. For example, the amendment will give rise to many new or revised. Of particular significance were the following provisions. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. An extended deadline of april 1, 1979, is established for those industries acting in good faith in trying to comply with a july 1, 1977, deadline.
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