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Waters of the US Rule Update
The range of waterways subject to federal pollution regulations would be narrower under a hotly anticipated proposal released Dec. 11, but the Trump administration said it did not know the on-the-ground impact. The proposal is the administration’s attempt to replace an Obama-era rule to better define waters of the U.S., or WOTUS, which are subject to Clean Water Act requirements.
The policy states that NPDES permits may be issued for any release of a pollutant from a pipe, drain or any distinct and discrete point source (such as an injection well) into groundwater that reaches federally protected waterway.
HWGIR Overview
There were over sixty (60 changes made to the hazardous waste rule, some of which are more stringent and others that are less stringent. Changes can be broken down into three categories: provide greater flexibility, fill in gaps to strengthen environmental protection, and clarify certain components and address ambiguities.
Groundwater Discharges
EPA Policy 83 Fed. Reg. 7126, Feb. 20, 2018 regulates pollutants discharged from point sources to jurisdictional surface water via groundwater or other subsurface flow that has a direct hydrologic connection to the surface water.
The policy states that NPDES permits may be issued for any release of a pollutant from a pipe, drain or any distinct and discrete point source (such as an injection well) into groundwater that reaches federally protected waterway.