&EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Fact Sheet Office of Water 4303T 821F04010 August 2004 Final Effluent Guidelines Plan for 2004 Summary EPA is publishing a plan and schedule to consider developing and revising effluent guidelines. The plan itself does not establish any new requirements for any businesses. The plan announces EPA's decision to proceed with rulemakings which may lead to new requirements for facilities in four industries. These effluent regulations will improve water quality by controlling discharges from industrial sources. Background on Effluent Guidelines Plan EPA publishes an Effluent Guidelines Plan every other year. The Plan is required by Section 3 04(m) of the Clean Water Act. EPA published the preliminary Plan for public comment on December 31, 2003. The Agency received 59 comments from a variety of commenters. Background on Effluent Guidelines Effluent guidelines are national regulations for controlling the discharge of pollutants to surface waters and to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). Effluent guidelines are technology- based and specific to an industry. EPA writes effluent guidelines for all types of industrial discharges—from manufacturing, agricultural, and service industries. The effluent guidelines program is one of EPA's most successful environmental protection programs. Effluent guidelines have helped reverse the water quality degradation that accompanied industrializationinthis country. Implementation of these regulations has reduced the discharge of pollutants that have serious environmental impacts, including pollutants that: > kill or impair fish and other aquatic organisms; > cause human health problems through contaminated water, fish, or shellfish; and > degrade aquatic ecosystems EPA has already issued effluent guidelines for 56 industries. EPA estimates that these regulations have prevented the discharge of more than 690 billion pounds of pollutants each year. Summary of the 2004 Plan This notice presents the final 2004 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan, as well as a description of EPA's review process. The notice presents: (1) the results of the Agency's 2004 annual review; (2) a response to public comments received on the preliminary Plan; (3) the industrial sectors identified for effluent guidelines rulemakings; and (4) a rulemaking schedule. The final plan identifies four industries to consider for effluent guidelines development or revision. Two industrial sectors are identified for potential revisions to existing effluent guidelines: Vinyl Chloride Manufacturing and Chlor-Alkali manufacturing. Two unregulated industrial categories are also identified: Airport Deicing ------- Operations and Drinking Water Supply and Treatment. Further Information For additional information concerning this action, you can contact Mr. Carey A. Johnston at (202) 566-1014 at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Engineering and Analysis Division (4303T), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.; or you can send an e-mail to johnston.carey@epa.gov. You can view or download the complete text of the Federal Register notice on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/guide/plan.html. ------- |