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Office of Inspector General
At a Glance
PRO"*^
Catalyst for Improving the Environment
Why We Did This Review
The Office of Inspector
General (OIG) began this
project to identify issues in the
Total Maximum Daily Load
(TMDL) program that would
be suitable for future
evaluations. Our preliminary
review revealed issues for
Agency management to
review at this time concerning
TMDL program data and
performance measures.
Background
TMDLs are designed to play a
critical role in restoring
impaired waters by calculating
pollutant loads consistent with
water quality standards. A
TMDL specifies the amount of
a pollutant that a water body
may receive and still meet
water quality standards. EPA
is responsible for working
with States to develop TMDLs
to address impaired waters.
EPA had approved over
24,000 TMDLs through Fiscal
Year (FY) 2006. To achieve
environmental results, TMDLs
must be implemented through
National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES)
permits or best management
practices.
For further information,
contact our Office of
Congressional and Public
Liaison at (202) 566-2391.
To view the full report,
click on the following link:
www.epa.aov/oia/reports/2007/
20070919-2007-P-00036.pdf
Total Maximum Daily Load Program Needs Better Data
and Measures to Demonstrate Environmental Results
What We Found
EPA does not have comprehensive information on the outcomes of the Total
Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program nationwide, nor national data on TMDL
implementation activities. Although EPA and States are responsible for
implementing point source TMDLs, EPA cannot identify all of the permitted
dischargers that should receive or have received wasteload allocations.
Measuring nonpoint source TMDL implementation is difficult because it is highly
dependent on State and local stakeholders, and EPA does not have statutory
authority to regulate nonpoint sources. EPA's lack of information prevents the
Agency from determining if TMDL implementation activities are occurring in a
timely manner, and the extent to which TMDLs are restoring impaired waters.
EPA measures the pace at which TMDLs are developed and approved. For the
last 2 years, EPA and States have exceeded goals for these measures. EPA has
begun to take steps to measure program results and improve program data, has
sponsored several studies of TMDL implementation, and is studying additional
TMDL results measures. Developing meaningful measures of the environmental
results of water quality programs is challenging. However, EPA needs to provide
more management direction to improve its ability to assess how well this critical
program is functioning.
The TMDL and surface water quality performance measures we reviewed do not
provide clear and complete metrics of the program's accomplishments. Since the
TMDL program did not have any outcome measures, we reviewed the two TMDL
output measures along with two of EPA's annually reported surface water quality
measures that are broader than, but related to, the TMDL program. All of these
measures are unclear, and some are inconsistently reported in EPA's publications.
What We Recommend
We recommend that the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water:
•	Require regions to ensure that the National TMDL Tracking System is
complete.
•	Report information on TMDL implementation activities and on the water
quality improvements associated with TMDLs.
•	Clarify terminology, activities included, and other elements of the TMDL
development measures, and the surface water program's efficiency and
effectiveness measures.

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