September 2022
2022 - 2032 Vision for the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) Program
The Clean Water Act Section 303(d) program strives to strategically plan and prioritize
activities, engage partners, and analyze and utilize data to develop water quality assessments,
plans, and implementation approaches to restore and protect the Nation's aquatic resources.
The 2022 - 2032 Vision for the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) Program ("2022 Vision")
identifies opportunities to manage effectively Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d) program
activities to achieve water quality goals for the Nation's aquatic resources such as streams,
rivers, lakes, estuaries, and wetlands. This 2022 Vision comes as EPA, states, territories, tribes,
local governments, and citizens mark the 50th Anniversary of the CWA and chart a path to
promote continued improvements in water quality as we start the next 50 years. The purpose of
this document is to articulate a renewal of the initial 2013 long-term Vision and associated
Goals, as well as to introduce new Focus Areas for the CWA Section 303(d) program. The Goals
outline aspirations and highlight opportunities to implement CWA Section 303(d) program
activities in the following categories - Planning and Prioritization, Restoration, Protection, Data
and Analysis, and Partnerships. Focus Areas provide four cross-cutting themes of national,
regional, and local importance, consistent with EPA priorities, to consider in CWA Section
303(d) program implementation - Environmental Justice, Climate Change, Tribal Water Quality
and Program Development, and Program Capacity Building. This Vision outlines a framework to
organize program activities; it does not constitute regulation, policy, or new mandates.
The Vision is designed to help coordinate and focus efforts to advance the effectiveness of CWA
Section 303(d) program implementation in the coming decade. The 2022 Vision builds on the
experience gained from implementing the 2013 Vision outlined in A New Long-Term Vision for
Assessment, Restoration, and Protection under the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) Program.1
Like the 2013 Vision, the 2022 Vision is intended to encourage flexible and innovative
approaches for states, territories, and authorized tribes2 ("states, territories, and tribes") to
implement CWA Section 303(d), as well as to identify ways to best use limited resources to lead
to restoration and protection, to leverage partnerships, and to encourage development of
solutions to emerging and difficult waters quality issues.
The CWA Section 303(d) program made significant advances implementing the 2013 Vision.
For example, states and territories engaged in a long-term planning and prioritization process,
through meaningful public engagement, to develop support for and address challenging priorities
through integrated assessment, planning, standards, and implementation processes. All states
developed long-term frameworks that reflect their priorities for development of total maximum
1 https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-07/documents/vision 303d program dec 2013.pdf
2 Several federal environmental laws authorize EPA to treat eligible federally recognized tribes in a similar manner
as a state (TAS) for implementing and managing certain environmental programs (for more information go to:
https://www.epa.gov/tribal/tribal-assuiiiption-federal-laws-treatment-state-tas'). This document will discuss tribes
both as potential entities to be authorized to implement CWA Section 303(d), through TAS, and tribes that do not
yet have TAS. When referring to entities that may implement CWA Section 303(d) this document uses "states,
territories, and tribes."
1
-------
September 2022
daily loads (TMDLs), other restoration plans, and protection approaches.3 As of the drafting of
this document, states and territories were over three quarters of the way towards putting plans in
place for priorities identified in implementing the 2013 Vision. States and territories were
effective in using baseline assessments to inform priorities and in evaluating water quality effects
of implementation of TMDLs and other plans. States and territories used the best planning tools
for the task at hand; along with developing thousands of TMDLs, at least 24 states have pursued
other restoration approaches, and 9 states have pursued protection plans in implementing the
2013 Vision. States and territories were particularly strong ensuring partnerships with other
authorities and local stakeholders to enhance communication and drive water quality results.
For the past decade, EPA's national CWA Section 303(d) program has centered its trainings and
work products around the Goals of the 2013 Vision. EPA has met with states, territories, and
tribes on the Vision Goals at least annually during this time. EPA has worked with various
program partners to put together training workshops and supporting documents that created a
robust collection of information to advance the Goals of the 2013 Vision.4 Execution of multiple
goals of the 2013 Vision and the development and use of enhanced data systems has improved
information sharing and transparency and helped gain significant efficiencies in program
execution. As indicators of improvement, the number of timely integrated reports submitted by
states increased by five times in 2022 compared to earlier cycles, and EPA has maintained an
effective elimination of backlog in acting on submitted CWA Section 303(d) lists and TMDLs.
2022 Vision Development Process
States and territories have been using the Goals outlined in the 2013 Vision to guide program
management for the past ten years. The 2020 National CWA Section 303(d) Training Workshop5
served as a catalyst for collective reflection on the successes and challenges of the 2013 Vision.
The Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA) led a series of meetings with program
representatives to further capture perspectives on the content and implementation of the 2013
Vision, culminating in support for and recommendations to help shape a subsequent long-term
Vision.6 In a parallel effort, EPA developed and distributed proposed principles to guide
program management into the future and discussed them with state, territorial, and tribal
representatives. In October 2021, the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), under a cooperative
agreement with EPA, hosted a Vision Writing Summit where state, tribal, and EPA staff worked
together to develop language that would become the foundation for this 2022 Vision.
EPA and ELI jointly hosted two workshops in April 2022 with states, tribes, and stakeholders
from multiple nonprofit environmental organizations, agricultural organizations, and water
utilities. The workshop objectives were to train a diverse group of participants on the CWA
Section 303(d) program and to gain perspective from individual participants on specific aspects
3 https://www.eli.org/freshwater-ocean/state-and-territorial-prioritization-frameworks
4 https://www.epa.gov/tindl/vision
5 httpsi//wwwJdLgrj*^
6 httpsi//wwwjeM!rllSMg/wi>TOfiteM^^
Term-Vision-for-the-CWA-303d-Program.pdf
2
-------
September 2022
of this Vision - climate change and environmental justice. A similar workshop in May 2022
consisted of participants from dozens of tribes across the country focusing on the 2022 Vision
and aspects of tribal engagement in the CWA Section 303(d) program.
EPA received and addressed comments from states, ACWA, National Tribal Water Council, and
several non-governmental organizations. The draft 2022 Vision was presented at the ACWA
Annual Meeting in August 2022. The product of these collaborative efforts is this 2022 Vision.
Relationship to EPA Performance Metrics for the CWA Section 303(d) Program
CWA Section 303(d) program implementation of the 2013 Vision and enhanced data systems
helped to provide the superstructure for the larger Office of Water metric for improvements in
the Nation's surface waters. For several years, EPA's strategic plan has featured a metric that
tracks watersheds with surface water meeting standards that previously did not meet standards.
CWA Integrated Reports (IRs) provide key water quality information for this metric. Further,
TMDLs and other restoration and protection plans are important tools for restoring water quality.
EPA will continue to track and share key CWA Section 303(d) program activities, consistent
with the Vision, through a suite of CWA Section 303(d) program-specific metrics. Beginning in
January 2021, EPA initiated a workgroup with several states to discuss development of measures
that would help continue to track the CWA Section 303(d) program's success in light of the
forthcoming Vision and Goals. The workgroup was tasked with identifying options for a set of
metrics that would promote accountability by tracking development of plans over the period of
long-term planning and consider additional ways to show program progress and success. EPA
led discussions with states through the ACWA Watersheds Committee and at the Vision Writing
Summit where states provided additional feedback on metrics.
In response to this work and discussion, EPA is taking several steps to utilize new and improved
metrics. EPA has coordinated with states to develop a metric as a "bridge" between the 2013
Vision and this 2022 Vision that will measure state priority plans in place or in development
during fiscal year (FY) 2023 and FY24. Further, EPA is developing - in coordination with states,
territories, and tribes - a metric that would be in place starting in FY25. The metric would be in
place from FY25-FY32 and would measure the extent of state, territorial or tribal priority waters
addressed by TMDLs and other restoration plans in impaired waters or by protection approaches
in healthy waters. States, territories, and tribes would have the flexibility to begin and complete
plans over the course of multiple metric reporting cycles. EPA is also working on additional
metrics to communicate overall program progress.
3
-------
September 2022
Goals
The 2022 Vision Goals outline aspirations and highlight opportunities to implement CWA
Section 303(d) program activities. Goals are presented beginning with the cornerstone Goal of
Planning and Prioritization as the foundation to guide organization and implementation of the
other Goals. The next two Goals of Restoration and Protection recognize that CWA Section
303(d) programs may utilize different types of plans to advance their water quality objectives.
The Data and Analysis Goal is a key means to inform water quality assessment and listing,
TMDL development, and implementation activities. Finally, under the Partnerships Goal,
coordination of CWA Section 303(d) and other water quality program objectives and
involvement of stakeholders around mutually identified priorities are key themes to promote
water quality restoration and protection.
Planning and Prioritization Goal
States, territories, and tribes develop a holistic strategy for implementation of Vision Goals,
systematically prioritize waters or watersheds for TMDL and other plan development
(restoration and/or protection), and report on the progress towards development ofplans for
priority waters.
The intent of the Planning and Prioritization Goal is to encourage states, territories, and tribes to
coordinate program activities in the context of their broader water quality objectives and identify
corresponding waters for plan development (priorities) that align with those objectives. The
CWA Section 303(d) program has an inherent planning role because it applies water quality
standards to develop pollutant loading targets for the point source permitting and nonpoint
source management programs, as well as other programs under and outside of the CWA.
Coordinating CWA Section 303(d) program activities with those of other programs can aid in
strategically focusing limited resources to address broader water quality objectives most
effectively. Furthermore, implementation of the 2013 Vision has demonstrated that establishing
long-term CWA Section 303(d) program priorities as part of this planning process can lead to
more efficient and effective program management and yield meaningful progress toward water
quality restoration and protection.7
Carrying out CWA Section 303(d) statutory and regulatory obligations through the lens of a
state, territory, or tribe's long-term priorities can help motivate partners and stakeholders to take
the actions needed to implement TMDLs and improve water quality. Prioritization facilitates
focusing the location and timing for developing and/or revising TMDLs and other restoration
and protection plans in ways that are best suited to the broader water quality objectives of each
7 Under the 2013 Vision, "[a]ll states completed a new prioritization process, developed commitments for plan
development under the Vision, improved coordination and collaboration and are continuing to complete
development of plans for priority waters. Additionally, some programs embraced the concept of developing
alternative planning approaches or working on water quality protection." (ACWA Recommendations Document,
2021, Unk)
4
-------
September 2022
state, territory, or tribe. Prioritization also provides the foundation to guide the planning and
implementation of the other Vision Goals. EPA intends to continue to assist and collaborate with
states, territories, and tribes in identifying their priorities.8 Important venues for such
collaboration may include the Performance Partnership Agreement/Performance Partnership
Grant (PPA/PPG) discussions and development of CWA Water Quality Management Plans and
IRs.
Flexibility and adaptability are central to this Goal because each state, territory, or tribe is unique
and subject to changing circumstances. Each state, territory, or tribe's planning objectives will be
shaped by what is important to its public and stakeholders, the resources and information that are
available, and many other factors. States, territories, and tribes can identify their long-term CWA
Section 303(d) program priorities in their own unique manner using any of a myriad of
approaches including, but not limited to, specific geographic areas, pollutants, designated uses,
or pollutant-use combinations. Each state, territory, and tribe can express long-term priorities in
its Prioritization Framework with as much detail as it deems appropriate, from narrative
explanations of the geographic priority area(s), pollutant(s), etc. to specific priority waters or
watersheds for the entire Vision period. It is then anticipated that states, territories, and tribes
would identify and communicate specific waterbodies to be addressed over shorter increments.
Each state, territory, and tribe is encouraged to involve an array of partners and stakeholders at
all stages of the prioritization process as it finds beneficial. There are significant advantages in
meaningfully engaging other CWA programs, statutory programs, government agencies, tribes,
stakeholders, communities with environmental justice concerns, and the broader public on
planning and prioritization.
A state, territory, or tribe's Prioritization Framework, including CWA Section 303(d) program
long-term priorities and rationale for selecting those priorities, and its general strategy for
implementing the Goals of the 2022 Vision over the next decade should be transparent to its
stakeholders. The Prioritization Framework for each state, territory, or tribe should be shared
with EPA by April 1, 2024 and may be updated if needed. States, territories, and tribes are
encouraged to utilize the IR public process to develop and share their respective Prioritization
Frameworks or use an independent public process (i.e., separate from the IR process). Regardless
of how states, territories, and tribes choose to communicate their Prioritization Frameworks, the
use of IRs to report on the progress towards development of TMDLs, other restoration plans, and
protection plans is encouraged.
8 EPA has several tools to assist with prioritization, including the Watershed Index Online
(https://www.epa.gov/wsio") and the Recovery Potential Screening Tool (https://www.epa.gov/rps").
5
-------
September 2022
Restoration Goal
States, territories, and tribes design TMDLs and other restoration plans to attain and maintain
water quality standards, facilitate effective implementation, and drive restoration of impaired
waters.
The intent of the Restoration Goal is to encourage the identification, development, and
implementation of the most effective approaches for restoring water quality. This Goal
acknowledges how vital creativity and collaboration are for restoration plans to be successful in
restoring waters. Restoration plans refer to TMDLs and other beneficial plans that address
impaired waters. This includes, but is not limited to, waters assigned to Integrated Reporting
Categories 5, 5r/5alt, 4b, and 4c.9
The Restoration Goal recognizes that TMDL development will continue to be a primary feature
of the program. In addition to TMDLs, there are other types of plans that may be more
immediately beneficial or practicable for restoring water quality. EPA notes that, while the CWA
requirement to develop TMDLs remains for impaired waterbodies in Category 5, waterbodies
may be given a lower priority for TMDL development while other restoration plans are pursued.
The 2013 Vision highlighted, and this 2022 Vision emphasizes that TMDLs and other restoration
plans have a greater likelihood of yielding successful implementation when they involve
enhanced engagement, coordination with stakeholders, integration among programs, and greater
overall buy-in. TMDLs and other restoration plans can guide implementation in many ways to
achieve their intended outcome. For example, TMDLs provide a target for restoring beneficial
uses, identify pollutant sources and allocations with an appropriate level of detail; describe
strategies or processes to be used to best achieve allocations and targets, including available
regulatory controls; and present a structure for active review of implementation practices and
monitoring data.
Plans and implementation activities that adjust to changing circumstances and new data (often
referred to as "adaptive management") can facilitate successful implementation. This Goal can
serve to further explore and identify how principles of adaptive management can most
effectively be applied to achieve water quality standards, regardless of the type of restoration
plan used. Adaptive management may promote the monitoring of plan effectiveness and the
incorporation of new data and information into plan implementation and revision. It could also
build new opportunities and actions to pursue under the Partnerships Goal. The Water Quality
Management Plan and Continuing Planning Processes are two possible tools that could be used
by states, territories, and tribes to effectively track implementation activities and adjust
implementation approaches, as well as inform revisions of TMDLs and other restoration plans,
as needed. Under this Restoration Goal, states, territories, and tribes will continue to enhance use
of these various techniques to improve the likelihood that plans will be successfully
implemented, and water quality restored and maintained.
9 See EPA's website on Integrated Reporting for discussion of EPA's reporting categories
(https://www.epa.gov/tindl/integrated-reporting-giiidance-niider-cwa-sections-303d-305b-and-314').
6
-------
September 2022
Protection Goal
In addition to recognizing the protection benefits that TMDLs and other restoration plans can
provide, states, territories, and tribes may develop protection plans to prevent impairments and
improve water quality, as part of a holistic watershed approach.
The intent of the Protection Goal is to encourage a proactive and holistic consideration of
management actions to protect healthy waters.10 Protection of waters is a specific objective of
the CWA - "restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's
waters" (CWA Section 101). Also, protection and restoration are interdependent goals regarding
the "integrity of the Nation's waters." For example, protection of healthy headwaters and
wetlands helps reduce downstream restoration challenges and costs, while restoration reduces
risks to adjacent protected, healthy waters. Including protection in and alongside restoration
planning and implementation contributes to a holistic watershed approach that uses resources
efficiently.
Planning for protection can take many forms independent from or in combination with
restoration. For example, healthy waters at risk of degradation can benefit from protection plans
designed to hasten implementation of actions that will keep the waters from becoming impaired.
For healthy waters not at immediate risk of impairment, the thresholds necessary to maintain
those higher quality characteristics can be identified, and plans can be designed to retain those
thresholds. TMDLs and other restoration plans can aid in the identification and protection of
unimpaired or unassessed waters included within the broader watershed area by helping to
ensure that segments do not degrade, as well as facilitating water quality improvements in
impaired segments. After restoration, TMDLs remain in effect, helping to protect the waterbody
from becoming impaired again.
Although not all states, territories, and tribes may ultimately choose to use protection planning
approaches, opportunities for protection within the context of the state, territory or tribe's water
quality goals can be an important component to achieving water quality objectives. Protection
can be less costly, both fiscally and ecologically, than restoration. Proactively protecting
watersheds and waterbodies can help with future threats such as emerging water quality
problems, loss and fragmentation of aquatic habitat, altered water flow and availability, invasive
species, and climate change, and can protect the surrounding communities impacted by these
threats. Examples of waters that could benefit from protection plans include, but are not limited
to:
• Outstanding National Resource Waters or other specific category of high-quality waters;
• Waters with unique, valuable, or threatened species or their habitats;
• Waters and watersheds that constitute a public drinking water supply;
10 For a specific waterbody, protection as described in this Vision is the sustained minimization or avoidance of
water quality degradation due to stressors and/or watershed alterations that would present threats to its current
condition. Under the Vision, protection is oriented toward healthy waters, including, but not limited to, those of high
quality, simply unimpaired, or with limited impairments (to uses other than those for which protection is being
sought). See EPA's website for details (https://www.epa.gov/tmdl/protection-approaches').
7
-------
September 2022
• Healthy segments in watersheds with impaired segments, including headwaters above
downstream waters that are impaired;
• Healthy waters near areas with rapid land use changes;
• At-risk waters that are not yet impaired but showing signs of degradation;
• Other waters facing elevated risks of degradation.
Intergovernmental and external partnerships, as well as leveraging additional watershed program
authorities (e.g., CWA Section 319, CWA Section 401 certification, antidegradation policies,
Clean Water State Revolving Fund, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Wild and Scenic Rivers System), can be valuable in protecting healthy
waters and habitats. EPA's Healthy Watersheds Program can support the efforts of CWA Section
303(d) programs to identify, protect and maintain healthy watersheds across the United States.
Data and Analysis Goal
The CWA Section 303(d) program coordinates with other government and non-governmental
stakeholders to facilitate data production and sharing, and effectively analyzes data and
information necessary to fulfill its multiple functions.
The Data and Analysis Goal highlights multiple ways that states, territories, and tribes can
expand on and improve the data and information available for CWA Section 303(d) functions. In
the context of this Goal, such functions include:
• Determining the water quality condition for use in categorizing waters in the Integrated
Report (i.e., Categories 1-5);
• Supporting the development of TMDLs, other restoration plans, and protection plans; and
• Evaluating the effectiveness of plan implementation in restoring and protecting water
quality, thereby facilitating adaptive management so that plans remain productive.
State, territorial, and tribal CWA Section 303(d) programs are encouraged to collaborate and
foster effective data sharing processes internally to develop and gather the data and information
needed for CWA Section 303(d) functions. States, territories, and tribes also are encouraged to
coordinate and foster effective data sharing processes externally to develop and gather data and
information at different geographic scales from other agencies, universities, volunteer groups
(e.g., local watershed groups), other interested organizations, and communities. States,
territories, and tribes are encouraged to work with outside parties interested in submitting data or
information to ensure they are aware of data quality and format expectations. EPA understands
there may be challenges associated with compiling data with different requirements and in
different formats coming from various sources and will continue to work to improve data tools
that help with this task.
States, territories, and tribes will continue to enhance data consideration and analysis practices
that support the multiple CWA Section 303(d) functions. Practices include:
• Applying appropriate geographic and temporal scales for the implementing programs'
functions;
8
-------
September 2022
• Working towards evaluating water quality standards attainment in previously unassessed
waters and waters where there is insufficient information to make an attainment decision,
such as those in Category 3;
• Supporting development of water quality models for TMDL and other restoration and
protection plan development;
• Addressing emerging program priorities (e.g., areas with environmental justice concerns
and the effects of climate change); and
• Enabling a demonstration of program successes (e.g., supporting the conclusion that a
particular waterbody is no longer impaired).
Advances in science, technology and data transmission offer potential for improvements in the
amount of data available and the efficiency of data integration and interpretation. Each biennial
CWA Section 303(d) listing cycle provides an opportunity for states, territories, and tribes to
develop or revise assessment methodologies as needed to reflect the latest standards and science.
As a general matter, ambient monitoring (which may include targeted monitoring and statistical
surveys with a reasonably high level of confidence) provides essential water quality data for the
CWA Section 303(d) assessment and listing process. For TMDL development, water quality
models and other assessment tools provide essential information linking pollutant sources to
water quality impairment. Other information sources such as satellite imagery, geospatial
analysis, and climate forecasting may provide important information for watershed
characterization.
Under this Data and Analysis Goal, states, territories, tribes, and EPA will continue to apply
existing tools and explore new ones as appropriate. As states, territories, and tribes continue to
gain experience utilizing these tools, they will be in a better position to employ them in the
assessment and listing process, the development of restoration and protection plans, and the
evaluation of the overall effectiveness of those restoration and protection efforts. Among other
capacity building efforts, EPA plans to continue tribal Assessment and Total Maximum Daily
Load Tracking and Implementation System (ATTAINS) trainings to facilitate tribal
implementation of CWA Section 303(d) program functions.
Partnerships Goal
The CWA Section 303(d) program meaningfully communicates and collaborates with other
government programs and non-governmental stakeholders to restore and protect water quality
effectively and sustainably.
The intent of the Partnerships Goal is to encourage communication with governmental entities
and non-governmental stakeholders in ways that lead to productive, sustained collaboration, and
ultimately better water quality. The Goal consists of two distinct but related approaches:
programmatic coordination, and stakeholder involvement and engagement. Both approaches rely
on:
• Clear and effective communication that is appropriate for the target audience;
• Identification of work towards shared goals;
• Development and maintenance of strong working connections and relationships; and
9
-------
September 2022
• Creation of structures and processes to weave partnerships throughout CWA Section
303(d) program activities.
Programmatic Coordination
The CWA Section 303(d) program seeks to coordinate with and complement efforts across CWA
programs, other statutory programs, and the water quality efforts of other governmental
departments and agencies to identify and achieve shared goals. This coordination can include,
among other approaches, organizing and aligning processes with partner entities working on
CWA implementation; generating plans that are user friendly and broadly implementable across
programs; and identifying and drawing in additional programs, authorities, and resources across
government entities (including tribes) and the research community to achieve water quality
goals.
Stakeholder Involvement and Engagement
The CWA Section 303(d) program seeks to facilitate engagement early and often with non-
governmental entities and other stakeholders across various sectors and disciplines. Meaningful
engagement aims to understand non-governmental stakeholders' values, learn from their data and
knowledge, and use this input to inform water quality activities. Through this engagement, the
program also seeks to: improve stakeholder understanding of matters such as the value of
watershed management and the role of the CWA Section 303(d) program; encourage active
involvement from those stakeholders in CWA Section 303(d) program activities; and empower
the long-term contributions of stakeholders to water quality restoration and protection. This
engagement should be fair and meaningful, identifying, and inviting input from all affected
stakeholders, with particular attention to underrepresented communities and those with
environmental justice concerns.11 The engagement will also strive to support community efforts
to value, protect, and advance water quality over the long-term, including facilitating watershed
stewardship; assisting stakeholders in building capacity for meaningful involvement; and helping
local champions and messengers. Communication is best when it is multi-directional and
structured in a way that creates a feedback loop for iterative progress; builds and maintains trust
and local champions; respects community knowledge and cultural and ecological values; and
produces sustainable solutions that are community driven. Communication can also be most
effective when the message is delivered in various ways using different media (e.g., in-person
meetings, virtual, site visits).
11 EPA defines "environmental justice" as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of
race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and policies. EPA defines "fair treatment" as meaning that no group of people
should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial,
governmental, and commercial operations or policies, and "meaningful involvement" as people have an opportunity
to participate in decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health; the public's contribution
can influence the regulatory agency's decision; community concerns will be considered in the decision making
process; and decision makers will seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected. See EPA's
website for more details.
10
-------
September 2022
Focus Areas
Focus Areas provide four cross-cutting themes of national, regional, and local importance to
consider in CWA Section 303(d) program implementation. Highlighting these areas is one way
to promote action and continue to make progress towards broader EPA priorities. Recognizing
state, territorial, and tribal efforts already underway, EPA encourages further adoption and/or
adaptation of these Focus Areas to tackle these important topics in the best manner according to
individual state, territorial or tribal objectives. As with all other aspects of this Vision, these
Focus Areas do not constitute regulation, policy, or new mandates.
Environmental Justice
It is essential that all individuals have fair and equitable access to the benefits of environmental
programs. To facilitate this, EPA will work with states, territories, and tribes to assist in
integrating environmental justice into EPA CWA Section 303(d) program activities. EPA
continues to make achieving environmental justice part of its mission by developing programs,
policies, and activities to address the disproportionately high and adverse human health,
environmental, climate-related and other cumulative impacts on communities with
environmental justice concerns.
The objective of the Environmental Justice Focus Area is to actively consider environmental
justice in assessment, listing, TMDLs, and other restoration and protection plans to address
disproportionately high and adverse environmental, water quality, climate-related, and other
relevant impacts on underserved communities.
Thousands of communities and individuals can benefit from CWA Section 303(d)
implementation through the work of state, territorial, and tribal programs. EPA recognizes that
water quality and climate change impacts can disproportionately affect urban and rural
communities that are predominately of color, indigenous, linguistically isolated, low-income,
and/or impacted by other stressors. EPA applauds immediate and affirmative steps to improve
the program's assessment, listing, plan development, monitoring, and engagement processes with
a focus on pollution-burdened and underserved communities. The Partnerships Goal of this
Vision speaks to some engagement approaches for integrating environmental justice into
program work. EPA will collaborate with interested state, territorial, and tribal partners to further
incorporate environmental justice into CWA Section 303(d) program activities. Opportunities to
further integrate environmental justice into program implementation12 may include, but are not
limited to, the following:
• Actively engage the public and other stakeholders to improve and protect water quality as
demonstrated by documented, inclusive, transparent, and consistent communication (e.g.,
requesting and sharing feedback on proposed approaches, providing equitable access to
the public participation processes, and enhancing understanding of program objectives);
12 See Environmental Justice Legal Tools for more opportunities across different programs including CWA Section
303(d): htlis ://www.epa.gov/svstem/files/docnments/2022-
05/EJ%20Legal%20Tools%20Mav%202022%20FINAL.pdf
11
-------
September 2022
• Enhance understanding of the quality of more waterbodies near pollution-burdened,
underserved, and tribal communities;
• Establish and communicate quality-controlled processes to use data and information more
easily from community/watershed groups, universities, and other entities for assessment
and listing;
• Consider prioritizing TMDLs, restoration and protection plans for development in areas
most burdened by current and/or historical pollution;
• Consider environmental justice when assigning allocations to sources that would directly
impact overburdened communities who may already be recipients of significant exposure
to pollution, and possible constraints of low-income communities; and
• Integrate environmental justice into the implementation of water quality assessment,
listing, and planning programs in Indian country and in other areas of interest to tribes, in
partnership with federally recognized tribes.
EPA will promote opportunities through case studies, tools, and guidance as appropriate.
Climate Change
EPA is committed to integrating climate adaptation planning into the Agency's programs,
policies, and rulemaking processes. The objective of the Climate Change Focus Area is to
consider strategically how to account for the impacts of climate change, and address climate
resiliency or vulnerability, in water quality assessment, impaired waters listing, and the
development of TMDLs and other plans consistent with water quality standards. Examining the
potential impact of changing climate conditions on CWA Section 303(d) program activities will
often involve unique considerations depending on regional, local, or project-specific conditions.
Actions taken to address climate change in CWA Section 303(d) program activities can be
implemented with a focus on communities already experiencing disproportionately high adverse
impacts (consistent with EPA's commitment to environmental justice) and considering efforts
already underway by states, territories, and tribes.
EPA will collaborate with interested partners to further incorporate consideration of the impacts
of changing climate conditions into program operations. Opportunities may include, but are not
limited to, the following:
• Consider impacts of climate change on water quality in identifying impaired and
threatened waters;
• Identify and utilize tools/resources that support prioritization of waters that may be
particularly susceptible to changing climate conditions for protection and restoration;
• Consider the impact of changing environmental conditions when developing and
implementing TMDLs, and other restoration and protection plans; and the ability of plans
to achieve and maintain water quality standards;
• Build program capacity to highlight or develop products and/or approaches (including
TMDLs, modeling methods, reasonable assurance, implementation plans, etc.) that are
robust and adaptive when facing uncertain conditions;
12
-------
September 2022
• Target program resources and staff capacity towards areas and communities most
impacted by changing climate conditions; and
• Engage the public and other stakeholders using available public processes to inform,
solicit feedback, and enable constructive discourse to address impacts of climate change
on CWA Section 303(d) program activities transparently and clearly.
EPA will promote opportunities through case studies, tools, and guidance as appropriate.
Tribal Water Quality and Program Development
EPA works closely with tribal partners to support tribal nations as they protect and steward their
waters. The objectives of the Tribal Water Quality and Program Development Focus Area are to
help interested tribes administer the CWA Section 303(d) program, assess waters, and plan for
restoration and protection of tribal waters; ensure meaningful government-to-government
consultation opportunities; and otherwise enable tribes to engage with EPA, states, and others on
CWA Section 303(d) program activities relevant to tribal interests.
Tribal, state, and EPA representatives recognize the importance of tribal perspectives in
implementing the CWA Section 303(d) program. Tribal-related topics may include, but are not
limited to, the following:
• EPA promoting and assisting tribes to adopt and implement CWA Section 303(d)
programs for reservation waters (i.e., treatment in a similar manner as a state or TAS);
• Developing tribal capacity necessary for water quality assessment and planning,
including sustained data management and reporting activities, and for meaningful
involvement in TMDLs and other restoration and/or protection plans;
• Coordinating/integrating with other water programs to promote restoration and protection
of tribal waters and state waters where tribes have rights related to water quality;
• Consul ting/coordinating with tribes on EPA CWA Section 303(d) actions in state areas
that are important to tribes in order to account for tribal priorities;
• Facilitating coordination between state and tribal programs to support collaboration on
shared water quality goals;
• Encouraging state and tribal coordination on CWA Section 303(d) actions early and
throughout the process; and
• Considering the appropriate scope of direct implementation by EPA of CWA Section
303(d) listing and TMDL functions.
Program Capacity Building
The abilities of staff (and resilience in the face of turnover) are vital to sustained program
effectiveness. These abilities and resilience are developed through training new staff, supporting
existing staff in expanding their technical skills and subject matter knowledge, providing an
information-exchanging community of practitioners across jurisdictions and levels of
government, and fostering diverse perspectives and an inclusive work environment.
13
-------
September 2022
The obj ective of the Program Capacity Building Focus Area is to expand and build upon
existing activities and resources to improve understanding of CWA Section 303(d) program
foundations, familiarity with tools and various approaches to regular tasks and complex
circumstances, and ability to accomplish statutory responsibilities and Vision Goals more
efficiently and effectively. For example, the CWA Section 303(d) Webinar Series and annual
National CWA Section 303(d) Training Workshop will strive to reach more program staff and
provide valuable and innovative content for all levels of practitioners. EPA's Water Modeling
Workgroup will strive to continue its webinar series and annual national training workshops on
water quality modeling. Forthcoming EPA training resources will be of particular value to newer
practitioners, and a project focused on communicating success will yield examples, templates,
and collaborative resources.
EPA also intends to develop new guidance and factsheets on topics highlighted by program staff,
and work with partner organizations, including the ACWA Watersheds Committee, to
collaboratively support program development. Activities might include expanding the collection
of documents cataloging and summarizing program practices on specific matters and supporting
additional stakeholder trainings to improve program implementation. With input from new and
experienced practitioners alike, these and other activities could fill notable knowledge gaps,
advance critical thinking on issues of widespread interest, and improve collaboration inside the
CWA Section 303(d) program as well as with other programs and stakeholders. In sum, the
CWA Section 303(d) program will promote exceptional programmatic knowledge and skills,
enhance resilience, and equip practitioners to engage citizens and other partners to best achieve
water quality results.
14
-------
September 2022
2022 - 2032 Vision for the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) Program
Summary Page
Vision Statement
The Clean Water Act Section 303(d) program strives to strategically plan and prioritize
activities, engage partners, and analyze and utilize data to develop water quality assessments,
plans, and implementation approaches to restore and protect the Nation's aquatic resources.
Goals
Outline aspirations and highlight opportunities to implement CWA Section 303(d) program
activities.
Planning and Prioritization Goal:
States, territories, and tribes develop a holistic strategy for implementation of Vision Goals,
systematically prioritize waters or watersheds for TMDL and other plan development
(restoration and/or protection), and report on the progress towards development of plans for
priority waters.
Restoration Goal:
States, territories, and tribes design TMDLs and other restoration plans to attain and maintain
water quality standards, facilitate effective implementation, and drive restoration of impaired
waters.
Protection Goal:
In addition to recognizing the protection benefits that TMDLs and other restoration plans can
provide, states, territories, and tribes may develop protection plans to prevent impairments and
improve water quality, as part of a holistic watershed approach.
Data and Analysis Goal:
The CWA Section 303(d) program coordinates with other government and non-governmental
stakeholders to facilitate data production and sharing, and effectively analyzes data and
information necessary to fulfill its multiple functions.
Partnerships Goal:
The CWA Section 303(d) program meaningfully communicates and collaborates with other
government programs and non-governmental stakeholders to restore and protect water quality
effectively and sustainably.
Focus Areas
Provide four cross-cutting themes of national, regional, and local importance, consistent with
national EPA priorities, to consider in CWA Section 303(d) program implementation:
Environment Justice
Climate Change
Tribal Water Quality and Program Development
Program Capacity Building
15
------- |