Title: Clean Water Act (CWA) | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Headings: Clean Water Act (CWA)
Clean Water Act (CWA)
CWA - Legal Responsibility and Regulatory Enforcement
CWA - Guidelines and Standards
Technology-Based Effluent Limitations Guidelines
New Source Performance Standards
Oil Pollution Prevention
Cooling Water Intake
CWA – Permitting
Status of Current NPDES Permits:
EPA Region 4
EPA Region 6
EPA Region 9
EPA Region 10

Content: NSPS are based upon the best available demonstrated control technology and are at least as stringent as best available technology. The NPDES guidelines define a new source as any area in which significant site preparation work is done. EPA interprets "significant site preparation" for offshore effluent guidelines as "the process of clearing and preparing an area of the ocean floor for purposes of constructing or placing a development or production facility on or over the site." Thus, development and production facilities at a new site would be new sources. Development and production facilities are existing sources if significant site preparation work took place before NSPS became effective. Exploratory wells are not considered new sources because site preparation is not considered significant. Oil Pollution Prevention
Originally published in 1973 under the authority of Section 311 of the CWA, the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation sets forth requirements for prevention of, preparedness for, and response to oil discharges at specific non-transportation-related facilities. To prevent oil from reaching navigable waters and adjoining shorelines, and to contain discharges of oil, the regulation requires these facilities to develop and implement Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans and establishes procedures, methods, and equipment requirements (Subparts A, B, and C). The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) amended the CWA, and provided new requirements for contingency planning by government and industry under the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. OPA 90 also increased penalties for regulatory noncompliance, broadened the response and enforcement authorities of the federal government, and preserved state authority to establish laws governing oil spill prevention and response.