U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy - Joint Ocean Commission Initiative

To ensure good coordination, the Interagency Committee for the Marine TransportationSystem should be strengthened, codified, and placed under the oversight of the NationalOcean Council. Because marine transportation is primarily a nonfederal activity, theMarine Transportation System National Advisory Council should also be maintained toprovide a venue for outside input to the federal government on relevant issues.Addressing Coastal Water PollutionCoastal and ocean water quality is threatened by multiple sources of pollution, includingpoint, nonpoint, and atmospheric sources, vessels, invasive species, and trash beingwashed onto beaches and into the ocean. Addressing these many sources requires developmentof an ecosystem-based and watershed management approach that draws on avariety of management tools. Because water contamination problems are complex andpervasive, their solution will require substantial investments of federal resources andgreatly enhanced coordination both among federal agencies (primarily EPA, NOAA,USDA, and USACE) and between the federal government and managers at state, territorial,tribal, and local levels, in addition to watershed groups, nongovernmental organizations,private stakeholders, and the academic and research communities.Over the last few decades, great strides have been made in reducing water pollutionfrom point sources, although further improvements can be realized through increasedfunding, strengthened enforcement, and promotion of innovative approaches, such asmarket-based incentives. Persistently troublesome point sources of pollution, includingwastewater treatment plants, sewer system overflows, septic systems, industrial facilities,and animal feeding operations, must continue to be addressed.But the widespread and growing problem of nonpoint source pollution (Figure ES.9)has not seen similar success. Significant reduction of such pollution in all impaired coastalwatersheds should be established as a national goal with measurable objectives set to meetwater quality standards. Federal nonpoint source pollution programs should be better coordinatedso they are mutually supportive. Because agricultural runoff contributes substantiallyto such pollution, USDA should align its conservation programs, technical assistance,Figure ES.9 Controlling Nonpoint SourcePollution Is Key to Cleaner WatersCombinationof Point andNonpointSources47% 43%10%Point Sources OnlyNonpointSourcesOnlyNonpoint source pollution is a factor in 90 percent of allincidents where water quality is determined to be below thestandards set for specific activities, such as recreation, watersupply, aquatic life, or agriculture.Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Clean Water Act Section303(d) Lists: Overview of TMDL Program. Washington, DC, 1998.and funding with EPA and NOAA programs forreducing nonpoint source pollution. State and localgovernments can also play central roles through betterland-use planning and stormwater management.Pollution reduction efforts should include theaggressive use of state revolving loan funds, implementationof incentives to reward good practices,and improved monitoring to assess compliance andoverall progress. Congress should also amend theClean Water Act to authorize federal financial disincentivesto discourage activities that degrade waterquality and to provide federal authority to act if astate chronically fails to make progress in controllingnonpoint sources.Given the natural functioning of hydrologicsystems, watersheds are often the appropriate geographicunit within which to address water-relatedproblems. Collaborative watershed groups have hadparticular success in addressing nonpoint sourcepollution. The federal government should strengthencollaborative watershed groups by providing themwith adequate technical, institutional, and financialsupport.18 A N O CEAN B LUEPRINT FOR THE 21ST C ENTURY