An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century - California Ocean ...

almost $1 billion per year required to close the widening national funding gap betweenthe resources states have and the funding they need to fully implement water qualityprograms under the Clean Water Act. 12Given expected shortfalls in funding for wastewater-related construction, dramaticincreases will be needed in the State Revolving Funds. Improving coastal water qualitywill require long-term financial investments by federal, state, and local governments, aswell as by ratepayers.Recommendation 14–4The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), working with state and local governmentsand other stakeholders, should develop and periodically review a comprehensive long-termplan to maintain and upgrade the nation’s aging and inadequate wastewater and drinkingwater infrastructure, anticipating demands for increased capacity to serve growing populations,correction of sewer overflows, and more stringent treatment in the coming decades.To implement this plan, Congress should significantly increase the Clean Water and DrinkingWater State Revolving Funds.Promoting Market-based IncentivesOne powerful incentive-based approach to reducing water pollution in many watershedsis EPA’s water pollutant trading policy. Under this policy, a source can be reduced beyondrequired levels, creating a credit that can then be sold to another source discharging thesame pollutant to the same body of water. EPA has had a water pollutant trading policy inplace since the 1990s, primarily for use among wastewater treatment plants.EPA’s trading policy takes a very cautious approach to considering trades of any toxicpollutant. Also, EPA does not support any trading that would result in locally high concentrationsof pollutants exceeding water quality standards. For example, any trading ofcredits for total nitrogen will need to be designed to avoid excessive concentrations ofammonia in any location.Recommendation 14–5The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, working with states, should experiment with tradablecredits for nutrients and sediment as a water pollution management tool and evaluatethe ongoing effectiveness of such programs in reducing water pollution.Improving EnforcementMany major point source facilities are exceeding water pollution permit limits. A significantnumber of serious offenders are exceeding pollution limits for toxic substances andmany violators have been subject to only light penalties or no enforcement at all. In viewof this, there is a strong need for improved oversight of states’ permitting and enforcementprograms and for more funds and personnel at the state level to properly implement andenforce the NPDES program.Recommendation 14–6The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, working with states, should modernize the NationalPollutant Discharge Elimination System’s monitoring and information management system andstrengthen the program’s enforcement to achieve greater compliance with permits.Increasing the Focus on Nonpoint Sources of PollutionWhile considerable progress has been made in reducing point sources of pollution, furtherprogress toward improved coastal water quality will require significant reductions in nonpointsource pollution. This pollution arises when rainfall and snowmelt carry contami-212 A N O CEAN B LUEPRINT FOR THE 21ST C ENTURY