Candidate Notes on 01-WGA16

01-WGA16 on Aug 14, 2001

1. The states should retain primary jurisdiction over water quantity issues -- specifically water resource allocation and the determination of beneficial uses.
2. Control of pollutants from stormwater needs to be addressed with application of Best Management Practices. The Clean Water Act (CWA) should allow flexibility in both water quality criteria and beneficial use designations for receiving waters. Stormwater discharges to dry streams in arid regions pose substantially lower environmental risks than do the same discharges to perennial surface waters.
3. CWA reauthorization must take into account the environment in the arid West. Specifically, the CWA should recognize and Congress should provide adequate resources for the development of water quality criteria for non-perennial and effluent dependent streams.
4. The CWA reauthorization should include two new statements of purpose:

(A) To recognize the need to establish water quality criteria for the wide variety of ecosystems that exist in the U.S.
(B) To allow states to encourage the reuse of treated wastewater, as a component of water quality control.

The CWA should allow states flexibility in the designation of beneficial uses and establishment of criteria for certain waters, such as non-perennial and effluent dependent streams and man made water transportation canals.

Non-point source funding should enable states to balance program elements and focus, as needed, on technology development and transfer, monitoring, assessment, etc. Federal agency activities should also be required to comply with state non-point source management plans.

The Governors endorse the authorization of a regional water quality research project to design and develop water quality standards appropriate to unique conditions in the western states.