Change to Clean Water Act

http://www2.epa.gov/cleanwaterrule

But those waters may very well be contaminated by e coli and other nastiness. Was that a big horn sheep I saw bounding over the stream?

"But those waters may very well be contaminated by e coli and other nastiness. Was that a big horn sheep I saw bounding over the stream?"

Now dont be throwing rational thought and reasoning at this sort of stuff.

If those who want to give us clean water by their definitions and regulations find out there are naturally occurring contaminants both biological and naturally source based ...........

Well we're all doomed.

It is FAR more onerous than that.

• All "tributaries", including any water (wetlands, lakes, and ponds) that contribute flow, either directly or through another water, to downstream traditional navigable waters, interstate waters, or territorial seas.
• All waters "adjacent" to such tributaries. The proposed rule broadly defines "adjacent" to include all waters located within the "riparian area" or "floodplain" of otherwise jurisdictional waters, including waters with shallow subsurface hydrologic connection or confined surface hydrologic connection to jurisdictional water.

This includes private land.
WOTUS includes

• General information on streams
• Map of seasonal and rain-dependent streams (JPG)

What this means to me as a private property owner with year-round streams (perennial), rain-dependent streams (ephemeral) and sloughs, not to mention a man made lake fed by a spring is that the government now thinks they can come on my land and tell me how to manage my water?

This is a necessary step to stop the pollution that is ruining our planet...If you are not a polluter, you have no reason to be concerned....If you are, it's time to clean up your act....Life on this planet needs clean water to exist and thrive, and it's the government's job to see that our water is safe for all inhabitants....

From ''Vartryville'' (with one edit)

Oh! SolarEagle !

My beaming, gleaming star

I would that I were good enough

To dwell in dear Rathgar.¹

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPtKOrwf1h0

Would that it were not true.

"This is a necessary step to stop the pollution that is ruining our planet...If you are not a polluter, you have no reason to be concerned...."

True but unfortunately our governments and those who influence them are typically the last/worst type of people you want defining and dictating what is good or bad for your life and what should be done about it.

Well my advice is that if you're that concerned then maybe you should run for public office and be that person....otherwise you can always vote for your chosen representatives....

And the first, and most blatant, polluters of all mankind!

I view this as more Federal GovMint overreach and strangling the typical property owner, businesses, and local goverments with more burdensome and complicated regulations. And y'all know damn well that what is the driving force behind this is implementation of the U.N. Agenda 21.

I deal with the CWA via USEPA regs (including state environmental regs) almost of a daily basis. All this program will do is cost jobs and cost the US Taxpayer BIG TIME. And it is NOT necessary. We have come a long long way cleaning up our water since the passing of the CWA in the early 1970's...a remarkable achievement. what really needs to be done is more Federal funding available to upgrade Wastewater Treatment facilities and build new ones, something that has been sorely lacking for decades. Local municipalities just cannot afford the high costs without some aid. And if they do decide to build new facilities or upgrade the aging ones that they already had, they have to pass along the Principal Costs, the bonding interests, and the O&M costs to the taxpayer.

Another thing that is incredibly bothersome is that this is being pushed by the White Hut, through Presidential Executive Order or Action, or whatever they want to name it this week. A PEO dictating environmental protection laws is certainly circumventing Congress, who has the sole authority on passing laws. The President, as Executive, has no legal authority to enact laws, only implement adopted laws which are passed by both houses and signed by the President.

Furthermore, USEPA and USACOE cannot enact their own environmental laws and regulations, which this program certainly appears to be.

SMH in disgust.

Federal Funding Sources for Small Community Wastewater Systems

http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/wastewater/eparev.cfm
http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/wastewater/index.cfm

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009
ARRA provided significant funding for states to finance high priority water infrastructure projects through a $2 billion appropriation to the DWSRF program and a $4 billion appropriation to the CWSRF program. EPA's CWSRF & DWSRF ARRA Implementation webpage provides information on the status of ARRA implementation as well as guidance and resources for states and other stakeholders.

Beach Grants
Learn about BEACH Act grants awarded to eligible coastal and Great Lakes states, territories, and tribes to develop and implement beach monitoring and notification programs.

Catalog of Federal Funding
Search this database of financial assistance sources (grants, loans, cost-sharing) available for a variety of watershed protection projects

Clean Water State Revolving Fund
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) provides attractive, low-cost funding for projects that improve water quality, renew wastewater infrastructure, and support local economies.The Independent, revolving loan funds in all 50 states andPuerto Rico administer the SRF program, providing financial assistance to local communities.

Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)
The Safe Drinking Water Act, through the DWSRF, makes funds available to drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements. The program also emphasizes providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities and to programs that encourage pollution prevention as a tool for ensuring safe drinking water.

Federal Funding for Water/Wastewater Utilities in National Disasters (Fed FUNDS)
Fed FUNDS features federal disaster funding programs for water and/or wastewater utilities to obtain information on federal disaster funding programs from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), EPA, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Small Business Administration (SBA). Using Fed FUNDS, a utility can easily identify appropriate funding opportunities, gain insight on the application process, access customized forms to document costs, download successful utility applications, and contact utility funding mentors.

PPG Performance Partnership (PPG) Grants
Learn how States and certain interstate agencies can combine two or more environmental program grants into a single PPG to reduce administrative costs and direct EPA grant funds to priority environmental problems or program needs.

Section 106 Water Pollution Control Grant Program
Section 106 of the Clean Water Act authorizes EPA to provide federal assistance to states (including territories, theDistrict of Columbia, and Indian Tribes) and interstate agencies to establish and implement ongoing water pollution control programs.

Section 319 Grants Reporting and Tracking System (GRTS)
Discover the GRTS, the primary tool for management and oversight of the EPA's Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program. These centralized grants and financial databases allow grant recipients to enter detailed information on the individual projects or activities funded under each grant.

Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water protects public health and our nation's drinking water. It sets national, health-based standards for both naturally occurring and man-made contaminants that may be found in drinking water. EPA, states, and water systems then work together to make sure that these standards are met.

Targeted Watersheds Grants Program
Established in 2003, the Targeted Watersheds Grant program is designed to encourage successful community-based approaches and management techniques to protect and restore the nation's watersheds.

Tribal Funding
EPA is currently soliciting applications to support the National Tribal Water Council to facilitate tribal participation and build tribal capacity to address water quality and drinking water issues.

US/Mexico Border
EPA's U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program provides grant assistance to U.S. and Mexican communities located within 60 miles of the border for the development and construction of high-priority drinking water and wastewater facilities. The program furthers EPA's mission of protecting human health and the environment by providing critical resources for what are often an area's first drinking water and basic sanitation services.

Watershed Funding
Visit this Web site to find tools, databases, and information about sources of funding to practitioners and funders that serve to protect watersheds.

Wetlands
Find out more about two grant programs, Wetlands Program Development Grants and the Five Star Restoration and Grants Programs that help protect the Nation's wetlands

• Water Home

  ---

• Drinking Water

http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/

All good and dandy having some funding resources, but it's wholly insufficient.

Big cities and towns gobble-up a bulk of the funding leaving very little for small communities to go after.

That's why they have this....

Federal Funding Sources for Small Community Wastewater Systems

"Pooled sewage from failing septic systems still plagues countless neighborhoods and small communities across the country. More than a million homes in America still lack basic indoor plumbing, and many communities with fewer than 10,000 people have central wastewater systems that need extensive repair. All these conditions pose serious health and environmental problems for local residents. Among them are communities and tribes throughout the United States, as well as native villages in Alaska and economically disadvantaged areas along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Working together, federal and state agencies, along with the small communities themselves, can go a long way to help meet the wastewater and drinking water needs in these communities--and to promote economic development at the same time. This publication highlights 10 federal programs that help state, tribal, and local officials identify possible funding sources, whom to contact, and how to apply. Although this publication describes some drinking water programs, it focuses mainly on wastewater."

http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/wastewater/eparev.cfm

I used to work with a RWD (Rural Water Department) in Kansas. We didn't treat the water, we just tapped off a main from a small town, ~10,000 population, and filled a tower. Over the years more people moved to the country and wanted water. There was no way we could improve the lines (make bigger) without help. We asked for state/government help. The pages and pages of paperwork for studies and independent studies and application processes. Yes, we had to apply as not every community can get help; it was more of a first come, first served. It was a rather large headache and not something I will repeat. Yes, we could have raised the cost of water, but some could have gone to another district or gone back to well water.

This was for drinking water in a rural area, but I'm sure waste water would be much worse for small towns. Maybe even to the point of, unless you fix 'this' we can't help you with 'that'.

*dismounts soapbox and saunters away*

When I was young we would love to drink the well water from the farms around where I grew up as it was so cool and did not have fluoride or chlorine in it. Now you can't drink the water from those wells because of the agricultural runoff that has leached into the water table and we must have rural water systems for people to be able to have a safe water to drink. But we are making money for the big agribusinesses that try to pretend they are "small" farmers.

Rich Hurd

Central Iowa