United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
4501F
EPA 800-F-93-003
September 1993
AEPA
Mission
Legislative
Authorities
Programs
Office of Wetlands, Oceans
and Watersheds
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Wetlands, Oceans
and Watersheds (OWOW) is one of four offices within EPA's Office of Water
(OW). It was created in April 1991 to bring together Agency programs that
manage and protect the aquatic ecosystems of inland and coastal watersheds.
OWOW combines the Agency's responsibilities for abating nonpoint source
pollution; restoring and protecting wetlands, lakes, and coastal and marine
environments; and providing leadership for surface water quality monitoring
and water quality assessment activities. OWOW assists EPA Regional offices in
implementing these programs by developing policies and regulations, providing
technical support, and serving as an advocate for the programs with Congress
and the public at large. Through coordination of all of its activities, OWOW
strives to provide integrated, holistic habitat and watershed protection.
Clean Water Act (CW A)
Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments of 1990 (CZARA)
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)
London Dumping Convention (LDC)
Marine Plastics Pollution Research and Control Act (MPPRCA)
Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA)
Ocean Dumping Ban Act (ODBA)
Shore Protection Act (SPA)
Wetlands Protection
OWOW promotes wetlands protection through both regulatory and cooperative
programs. OWOW and the Army Corps of Engineers jointly administer the
CWA Section 404 program which regulates the discharge of dredged or fill
materials into wetlands. OWOW also works with states to develop State Wet-
lands Conservation Plans that will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of
government and private sector efforts to protect, restore, and create wetlands. In
add ition, OWOW works with other EPA, Federal, and international programs to
ensure that wetland values and functions are adequately considered in activities.
OWOW also provides technical and financial assistance to public and private
organizations to help them develop specific geographically tailored, locally based
strategies for wetlands protection.
Ocean Disposal of Wastes
Ocean Dumping
Under the MPRSA, the domestic legislation for implementing the provisions of
the LDC, OWOW is responsible for developing criteria to be used in evaluating
ocean dumping proposals, issuing permits for the dumping of all wastes except
dredged material, and designating sites suitable for the dumping of wastes. As
part of this program, OWOW conducts monitoring and takes enforcement
actions to ensure that waste disposal is not causing any unexpected impacts and
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Since the 1700's our nation
has lost more than half
of its wetlands
Recent estimates suggest
that nonpoint sources of
pollution, such as
agricultural run-off,
cause approximately
50 percent of U.S. water
pollution problems
that dumpers are complying with their permits. While the dumping of sewage
sludge and industrial wastes from the U.S. into the ocean has ceased, OWOW
continues to evaluate the dumping of fish waste, scuttled vessels and dredged
material as well as work with the international community to protect the world's
oceans from harmful dumping.
Point Source Discharges
OWOW implements the ocean discharge waiver program under CWA Section
301(h) which assesses whether sewage treatment plants discharging to marine
waters are to be exempted from secondary treatment requirements. In addition,
OWOW develops criteria for evaluating the environmental impact of discharges
to ocean waters under CWA Section 403(c). Finally, OWOW oversees the marine
sanitation device program, which regulates toilets on vessels, under CWA
Section 312.
Oceans and Coastal Enforcement
OWOW manages a marine and coastal enforcement program to ensure
control and regulation of ocean disposal and marine debris. Enforcement
actions are taken to ensure compliance with CWA, MPRSA, permit condi-
tions and site restrictions, to require accurate dumping within sites, and to
eliminate illegal dumping. OWOW provides training and guidance to
assist Regions and States in their enforcement efforts.
Marine Debris
OWOW implements the marine debris program to prevent and control debris
(trash, discarded man-made articles) from entering our oceans and waterways.
This is a serious problem with consequences for marine life, human safety and
the economy of coastal cities. EPA, with the cooperation of NOAA, develops and
implements programs to assess, identify and control the sources of such debris.
EPA also works jointly with the U.S. Coast Guard to regulate the transportation
of municipal and commercial waste on vessels and to develop waste handling
guidelines and regulations.
Nonpoint Source Control
Nonpoint sources of pollution—those that are
diffuse, or otherwise difficult to trace to a
single point of discharge, such as agricultural
and certain kinds of urban runoff—are
thought to be the cause of approximately 50
percent of all current water pollution prob-
lems in the country. All three divisions of
OWOW are addressing nonpoint source
pollution, with the Assessment and Water-
shed Protection Division (AWPD) having the
lead responsibility.
Under CWA Section 319, OWOW awarded
more than $140 million in grants to States in
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San Francisco Bay
Casco Bay
Massachusetts Bay*
Buzzards Bay
Peconic Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Inland Bays
Albemarle-Pamlico Sound
1990 through 1992. States use these grants to implement programs approved by
EPA that include, as appropriate, nonregulatory and regulatory programs for
enforcement, technical assistance, financial assistance, education, training, tech-
nology transfer and demonstration projects for nonpoint source control. In
addition, under Section 6217 of the CZARA, OWOW is providing guidance to
States on controlling nonpoint sources of pollution affecting coastal areas.
Clean Lakes Program
With awards of more than $131 million over 16 years under CWA Section 314,
OWOW's Clean Lakes Program has provided support through 580 grants and
cooperative agreements for selected lake monitoring, assessment, and protection
projects in all areas of the country. This support has included initial identification
of water quality problems, in-depth diagnostic and feasibility studies, and post-
restoration monitoring. The program is one of the earliest to use the watershed
protection approach in
monitoring and restora-
The National Estuary Program tion activities to control
the sources of pollution.
National Estuary and
Near Coastal Waters
Programs
The National Estuary
Program (NEP) grew out
of earlier restoration
efforts in the Chesapeake
Bay and Great Lakes. The
purpose of the program is
to show how estuaries
and their living resources
can be protected through
comprehensive, action-
oriented management.
OWOW also initiated the
Near Coastal Waters program to create a broader framework for promoting
coastal protection beyond the limited number of estuaries addressed by the NEP.
In support of both of these programs, OWOW provides financial and policy
guidance, and works with other EPA and Federal programs to enhance their
participation in coastal and estuarine protection efforts.
Watershed Protection
OWOW leads OWs effort to align traditional regulatory and nonregulatory
pro-ams to support overall watershed protection in an integrated, holistic
mariner. The Watershed Protection Approach draws on experience gained from
other programs and activities (e.g., Chesapeake Bay, NEP, and Clean Lakes
Programs) that focus on comprehensive identification, assessment, and action on
environmental problems within a single watershed. All divisions of OWOW are
implementing geographically targeted programs and assisting many of the
Regional and State watershed initiatives currently underway.
Nafragansett
Long Island Soun
NY - 'NJ Harbor
Indian River Lagoor,
San Juan Bay
October 22, 1992
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Monitoriing water quality
Robert Wayland
Office Director
Dave Davis
Deputy Office Director
Marian Mlay
Director
Oceans and Coastal
Protection Division
Geoff Grubbs
Director
Assessment and
Watershed Protection Division
John Meagher
Director
Wetlands Division
Monitoring and
Data Management
To achieve its various missions and objectives, OWOW is
updating its national water quality and environmental
data systems (STORET, ODES, and BIOS) to better serve
the needs of their many Federal, State, local and private
users. This includes expansion of the data systems to
incorporate additional biological, as well as chemical
data; integration of increased quality assurance/quality
control information to record data validity and ensure
increased data sharing.
OWOW also develops guidance on biological methods and environmental indica-
tors, works closely with the Office of Science and Technology in the development of
water quality and sediment assessment methods; and supports the use of monitor-
ing in the watershed protection approach. OWOW also operates the Agency's ocean
survey vessel, the PETER W. ANDERSON, to provide the ocean sampling and
laboratory facilities. The ship is used intensively by Regional scientific and technical
teams in the management of ocean disposal sites for dredged material and for the
assessment of ocean water and sediment quality along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring
OWOW has taken the lead in supporting and encouraging volunteer monitoring.
This support has included the development of technical guidance to assist volunteers
in the collection of accurate and comprehensive water quality data and the conduct
of workshops, training classes, and educational conferences.
Public Education and Outreach
All divisions of OWOW conduct public outreach and technical assistance activities
such as: newsletters, fact sheets, videos, training, and workshops. OWOW also has a
policy and communications staff that helps coordinate office-wide outreach, policy
and legislative activities that cut across the OWOW divisions.
For more information:
Anne Robertson
Policy and Communications Staff
OWOW
Office of Water (4501F)
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20460
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