Laws & Regulations

• Laws
• Regulations
• Federally promulgated standards

Laws

• The entire Clean Water Act
• Sections related to water quality standards:
  • Section 101(a)
    Declaration of Goals and Policy
    
  • Section 303
    Water Quality Standards and Implementation Plans
  • Section 401 (PDF, 16KB)
    Permits and Licenses - Certification
  • Section 510 (PDF, 47KB)
    State Authority
• Endangered Species Act

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Regulations

• Water Quality Standards: CFR Title 40 Part 131
• Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System: CFR Title 40 Part 132

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Federally promulgated standards

(listed in chronological order)

• Final Water Quality Standards Bacteria Rule for Coastal and Great Lakes Recreation Waters (November 8, 2004)
• Withdrawal of Certain Federal Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Alaska, Arkansas, and Puerto Rico (October 29, 2004)
• Development of Water Quality Standards for Indian Country
  (April 2004)
• Approval of West Virginia Water Quality Standards
  • Federal Register notice (April 6, 2004)
• Water Quality Standards for Oregon (March 2, 2004)
• Water Quality Standards for Puerto Rico
  • Fact Sheet (1 page summary)
  • Federal Register Notice (January 26, 2004)
  • Proposal
    • Fact Sheet
    • Federal Register Notice (October 20, 2003)
• Withdrawal of Federal Nutrient Standards for the State of Arizona (November 6, 2003)
• Withdrawal of Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria for Copper and Nickel Applicable to South San Francisco Bay, California
  • Fact Sheet
  • Federal Register Notice (PDF) (November 6, 2003)
  • Proposal
    • Fact Sheet
    • Federal Register Notice (June 25, 2003)

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• Federal Promulgation of State Water Quality Standards for AL, AZ, ID, KS, KY & PA (November 2003)
• Withdrawal of Certain Federal Human Health and Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Vermont, the District of Columbia, Kansas and New Jersey
  • Fact Sheet (PDF)
  • Federal Register Notice (December 3, 2002)
    
• Withdrawal of Federal Human Health and Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria for Toxic Pollutants Applicable to Michigan.
  • Fact Sheet (PDF)
  • Federal Register Notice (PDF )
    (November 8, 2002)
• Withdrawal of the Federal Designated Use for Shields Gulch in Idaho.
  • Fact Sheet (PDF, 84KB)
  • Federal Register Notice, (March 13, 2002)
• Review and Approval of State and Tribal Water Quality Standards - "Alaska Rule" (April 2000)
• Withdrawal of Certain Federal Human Health and Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria Applicable to Rhode Island, Vermont, the District of Columbia, Kansas and Idaho
  (April 12, 2000)
• Establishment of Numeric Criteria for Priority Pollutants for the State of California (California Toxics Rule)
  (May 2000)
• Establishment of Numeric Criteria for Priority Toxic Pollutants; States' Compliance--Revision of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Criteria
  (November 1999)
• Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) seeking comments from interested parties on possible revisions to the Water Quality Standards Regulation at 40 CFR Part 131 (April 1998)

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