?/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
  Office of Water
EPA821-F-15-003
     July 2015
Final  2014  Effluent  Guidelines  Program
Plan
Summary
EPA has published its Final 2014 Effluent Guidelines
Program Plan and 2014 Annual Review Report. The
Plan announces final decisions EPA is making on the
control of industrial wastewater discharges, along
with new actions for the future.

Background
Effluent limitation guidelines are national,
technology-based standards for industrial
wastewater discharges to surface waters and
publicly owned treatment works (also called
municipal sewage treatment plants).
Clean Water Act section 304(m) requires EPA to
biennially publish a plan that, after public notice and
comment, establishes a schedule for the annual
review and revision of existing effluent limitation
guidelines, identifies any new industrial categories
selected for an effluent guideline rulemaking, and
provides a schedule for such rulemaking.

Decisions in the Final 2014 Plan
In the  Final 2014 Plan, EPA is announcing its final
decisions to:
•  Release the 2014 Annual Review Report
   describing the results of the 2014 annual review
   of  industrial wastewater discharges.
•  Continue detailed studies of the Petroleum
   Refining category (40 CFR Part 419) to
   investigate reports of discharges of metals, and
   of the Centralized Waste Treatment category,
   specifically investigating Centralized Waste
                                Treatment facilities that accept oil and gas
                                extraction wastewaters.
                             •  Conduct a preliminary study of the Metal
                                Finishing industry to investigate changes in metal
                                finishing chemistries and the potential for
                                unregulated pollutants to be discharges.
                             •  Restate the schedules for the four ongoing
                                effluent guideline rulemakings (for the categories
                                of Steam Electric Power Generation, Dental
                                Amalgam, Alaska Seafood Processing, and
                                Unconventional Oil and Gas Extraction).
                             •  Continue to investigate the Pesticide Chemicals
                                Manufacturing, Formulating, and Packaging
                                category to examine unregistered pesticides
                                manufactured for export.
                             •  Complete the preliminary review of discharges
                                from Coastal Oil and Gas Extraction into Cook
                                Inlet, Alaska.
                             •  Conduct no further review for Brick and
                                Structural Clay Products Manufacturing.
                             •  Publish findings to date and continue to gather
                                information on Industrial Wastewater Treatment
                                Technology.
                             •  Publish findings to date and continue to gather
                                information on Nanomaterials Manufacturing
                                and Product Formulation.
                             Where can I find more information?
                             You can access the Federal Register notice, the 2014
                             Plan and Annual Review Report, and all supporting
                             documents on EPA's Effluent Guidelines Plan
                             website at:

-------
http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/guide/304
mZ
For other related information, contact Mr. William F.
Swietlik by phone at (202) 566-1129, by e-mail at:
swietlik.william@epa.gov,  or by mail at: U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water,
Engineering and Analysis Division (4303T), 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., 20460.

-------