Congress Approves Bill To Codify EPA's 'Integrated Planning' Water Policy

摘要

The House and Senate have approved legislation, long sought by municipalities, to codify EPA's "integrated planning" policy that allows local authorities to address their Clean Water Act (CWA) wastewater and stormwater requirements on a pollution priority basis - rather than all at once. The legislation also encourages the use of so-called "green" infrastructure in integrated plans. EPA has long sought to boost municipalities' use of green infrastructure - such as rain gardens and permeable pavement - seeing it as a more cost-effective means of controlling runoff than traditional "gray" infrastructure. But some municipalities have been reluctant to use it, especially when complying with consent decrees, because of uncertainties with the techniques' performance. The votes in late December came after the authors of two competing integrated planning bills in the House reached a compromise to include language requiring EPA to promote the use of green infrastructure and to remove a mandate for EPA to revise its financial capability guidance, according to a source tracking the bill.