EPA Withdraws Water Permit Fee Incentive Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is withdrawing a rule intended to provide financial incentives for states to use fees when administering a clean water permit program. The agency issued the rule in September 2008.
The agency will continue to encourage states to establish and expand their permit fees for their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) programs. Any funds that would have been used for incentive purposes will instead be allocated to states under an existing grant formula.
As authorized by the Clean Water Act, the NPDES permit program controls water pollution by regulating municipal, industrial, and related sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States.
For information on the grants, go to http://www.epa.gov/owm/cwfinance/pollutioncontrol.htm.