Coral Reef Biological Criteria: Using the Clean Water Act to Protect a National Treasure

摘要

This manual provides technical guidance to States, Territories, and Commonwealths to establish water quality criteria and standards under the Clean Water Act (CWA), to protect aquatic life from the effects of pollution. Under the CWA, States and Territories are to establish water quality criteria to protect designated uses. State and Territorial decision makers retain the discretion to adopt approaches on a case-by-case basis that differ from this guidance when appropriate and scientifically defensible. While this manual constitutes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) scientific recommendations regarding biological criteria to help protect coral reef ecosystem quality and aquatic life, it does not substitute for the CWA or EPAs regulations; nor is it a regulation itself. Thus, it cannot impose legally binding requirements on EPA, States, Territories or the regulated community, and might not apply to a particular situation or circumstance. EPA may change this guidance in the future.