Preliminary 2010 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan

The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires EPA to establish national technology-based regulations known as "effluent limitations guidelines and standards" to reduce pollutant discharges from categories of industrial facilities. EPA similarly establishes technology-based regulations, termed "pretreatment standards," to reduce indirect pollutant discharges" those that are discharged to publicly-owned treatment works. The CWA also specifies effluent guideline planning and review requirements. There are different requirements for direct and indirect dischargers, but both specify annual review of promulgated effluent guidelines and pretreatment standards. One requirement is publication of an Effluent Guidelines Program Plan every two years. CWA section 304(m) specifies that the Plan must: (1) establish a schedule for the annual review and revision of promulgated effluent guidelines, (2) identify categories of sources discharging toxic or non-conventional pollutants for which guidelines have not previously been published ("new categories"); and (3) establish a schedule for the promulgation of effluent guidelines identified under (2). We anticipate that the 2010 Plan will describe the results of the 2010 annual review, including, to the extent possible: (1) the outcome of the screening process; (2) EPA’s selection of industrial categories for further study and/or regulation; and (3) the rationale for selecting categories for further study and/or regulation. The 2010 Plan will also summarize activities and accomplishments for studies of categories that were identified in the 2008 Final Plan.