Contact: Elleen Kane, NOAA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(301) 713-3086, ext. 100 1/13/95
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have taken steps to lessen the burden on states required to develop programs to reduce runoff pollution that adversely impacts on coastal waters.
According to state assessments, so-called runoff pollution remains one of the primary water pollution problems for the nation. This type of pollution is created when rainwater washes into streams and bays, carrying with it fertilizers, lawn chemicals, herbicides, salt from roadways, oil and gasoline leaked from automobiles, and untreated sewage from boats, pets, and failing septic systems. Although individually these pollution sources may not pose immediate environmental threats, the combined impact can degrade coastal waters.
Amendments made to the Coastal Zone Management Act in 1990 require that states receiving federal funding through the Coastal Zone Management Program develop programs to reduce runoff pollution. These states must submit nonpoint source (runoff) pollution control programs to NOAA and EPA by July 1995. Coastal states failing to develop programs that meet federal approval by July lose a portion of federal funds that support coastal management and runoff pollution activities.
NOAA and EPA will now grant conditional approval to state programs submitted this July. This temporary approval will provide states with additional time to fully develop programs without losing a portion of their federal funds. States will have up to five years to implement their pollution reduction programs. States will also have greater leeway in determining the geographic scope of these programs and more flexibility to blend voluntary and existing regulatory programs to meet pollution reduction goals.
"In changing the timeline and boundary guidelines, we, as the federal government, are easing this burden on the states while still maintaining the integrity of the program," said D. James Baker, NOAA administrator and Commerce under secretary for oceans and atmosphere.
"It's an important program to NOAA," Baker added, "because fisheries, tourism and coastal industry all need clean coastal waters. NOAA wants to work with states to maintain healthy coastal ecosystems."