Regulation of Ocean Outfalls

Number: 1977-05

 

WHEREAS, Section 403 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (FWPCA) prohibits ocean discharges about which exists insufficient information to reasonably judge the impacts; and

WHEREAS, this Section directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator to issue regulations for determining these impacts; and

WHEREAS, present EPA regulations do not presently address the impacts of ocean outfall discharges; and

WHEREAS, EPA regional offices are largely unaware of their responsibilities to regulate ocean outfall discharges;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 24-27, 1977, in Washington, D.C., hereby urges EPA to issue regulations requiring adequate assessment of the impacts of all significant new and existing ocean outfall discharges; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that EPA should issue and enforce regulations designed to ensure that outfall discharges do not unreasonably harm ocean life.