Compliance monitoring programs are an important part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) capability to achieve clean water. The EPA and respective states that have been granted administrative capabilities have a coordinated and harmonized process to compliance monitoring efforts. Examples may include on-site inspections and evaluations of reported Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) data specifically for industrial facilities. EPA works closely with each state performing proactive planning to ensure compliance monitoring activities are taking place and enforced. The EPA works closely with each state to monitor and ensure compliance with clean water laws and regulations in order to protect human health and the environment. The Clean Water Act (CWA) is the primary federal law governing water pollution.
The inspection process is one of the primary monitoring efforts for assessing and documenting compliance with permits and regulations. The number one effort regarding the inspection process is to ensure and document whether construction sites or industrial facilities are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program and comply with their Clean Water Act (CWA) obligations. Inspection activities performed by a regulatory authority for both construction sites and industrial facilities may be considered scheduled, routine or possibly on-demand when there may be and unusual need and response to a specific problem or emergency.
Something to be aware of is that many routine or scheduled inspections are prioritized by the given sites location near the 303(d) listed waters that are impaired and sites that the state may designate a higher level of protection. The term “303(d) list” is the list of impaired or threatened waters that have been identified as not meeting the state water quality standards. A waterbody is placed on this list because one or more water quality parameters do not meet applicable water quality criteria.
The state of Florida is seeing land development rapidly increase. Development is going to continue, and when it is properly monitored, inspected, and maintained the negative impacts on the surrounding ecosystems hopefully become minimized. KCI can help you prepare and get ready for a state or federal regulatory visit. Call us today, 888.346.7779.
