EPA Announces Plans for Integrated Approach to Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Management
On October 27th, Cynthia Giles, the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, and Nancy Stoner, Acting Assistant Administrator for Water sent the attached memorandum to the EPA Regional Administrators that expresses EPA’s commitment to and support for integrated approaches to municipal stormwater and wastewater management. The memorandum explains that EPA is developing an integrated planning approach framework to help the Agency work with state and local governments. The framework will identify:
- The essential components of an integrated plan;
- Steps for identifying municipalities that might best make use of such an approach; and
- How best to implement the plans with our state partners under the Clean Water Act permit and enforcement programs.
Once the framework is in draft form, EPA plans to hold meetings with states and local governments, utilities and environmental groups to obtain their feedback on the draft framework. In addition, the Agency hopes to identify municipal leaders who are currently developing, or have developed, integrated plans that can serve as models for other municipalities. They plan to post additional information on this effort, as it becomes available, on their website at: www.epa.gov/npdes/integratedplans.
