National Water Program Guidance: FY 2005

Full Print Version (includes appendices) (PDF, 742KB, 146 pages)

Acknowledgements

The Office of Water acknowledges the important contributions of the following EPA staff to the development of this document.

top

Cover Memo

4/21/04

TO: National Water Program Managers and Staff

FROM: Benjamin H. Grumbles /s/
Acting Assistant Administrator

SUBJ: National Water Program Guidance and Priorities: FY 2005

The development over the past year of a new Strategic Plan for the Environmental Protection Agency provided a chance for all of us working to improve the quality of the Nation's waters to think about new and better ways of getting this critical job done. Some of the questions we worked on were:

– How to express clear and measurable environmental and public health goals for clean and safe water, rather than programmatic "beans," and then hold ourselves accountable for progress toward these goals?

– How to build stronger working relationships among EPA, States, Tribes, local governments, and nongovernmental sectors and a stronger consensus about program priorities?

– How to identify and promote innovative approaches to meeting water quality goals, especially voluntary and incentive-driven programs?

– How to promote better coordination among core water programs, especially between clean water and safe drinking water programs?

– How to build better partnerships among the range of other Federal agencies implementing programs that benefit water quality and drinking water?

The new EPA Strategic Plan offers no silver bullets for these tough questions, but it does present the best of the ideas and innovations we heard from program managers and staff at Federal, State and local governments and from stakeholders and citizens.

top

The Basics

This National Program Guidance for FY 2005 builds on the new Strategic Plan to provide general direction for the management of water programs over the next several years, especially fiscal year 2005. As your read the Guidance, I hope you will keep the following three fundamental ideas in mind:

– Public Health and Environmental Results: The National Water Program must define its mission in terms of delivering improvements in public health and the environment, rather than program activities. All of us need to agree on the specific improvements we are trying to accomplish and the strategies most likely to get us there. Most important, we actually have to go there – we must change our programs and priorities as needed to implement results-oriented strategies.

The Strategic Plan started this process by defining objectives and sub-objectives that express public health and environmental improvements to be made by 2008. This National Water Program Guidance takes another step by framing the activities that support these objectives for fiscal year 2005. The next step is for all of us – HQ, Regions, States and Tribes – to use this Guidance to define operational plans for FY 05 that tailor resource allocations to support defined environmental and public health results for each State and Tribe.

– Setting National Priorities that Recognize State and Tribal Needs: We need to manage with public health and environmental goals in mind, but water program managers at all levels also need to work with a common set of key program tools. This Guidance describes a core set of Program Activity Measures (PAMs) that were developed in a cooperative process with States and Tribes over the past year. The Guidance defines expectations for progress in these programs by 2005 and 2008 at Regional and national levels. And, it provides a sense of the relative priority of each measure at the national level.

Although this Guidance defines activities, expectations, and priorities, it also provides flexibility for each State and Tribe to allocate resources among activities in the way that is most likely to result in public health and environmental improvement given the conditions in that State or Tribe.

– The Road to Higher Performance: The National Water Program has a strong record of accomplishment and continues to perform well – but we can do better. Over the coming year, we need to assess our progress, identify what is working, and fine-tune our program efforts to deliver the best results. This Guidance defines this adaptive management approach to higher performance.

top

Priorities

Based on my own experience in the U.S. Congress and EPA, and lessons from our State and Tribal partners, I became more convinced than ever of the common themes and critical needs between Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act programs. As we work together to integrate efforts and develop workplans for FY 2005, I hope you will keep in mind three key areas of critical importance to both the clean water and drinking water programs.

1) Monitoring Water: We must do a better job of understanding both the condition of the Nation's waters and the safety of the Nation's drinking water.

In the case of surface water, we have relied for years on information that is useful for some program management purposes but does not form a sufficient basis for the range of increasingly complex decisions we now face at the waterbody, watershed, and national levels. Work is now underway to build a broad consensus on how to improve surface water monitoring and it is critical that we promptly complete this work and implement a new monitoring approach.

In the case of drinking water, there is growing evidence that information on the compliance of drinking water systems with safety standards is not as reliable as it needs to be. Here, too, critical work is underway by Federal, State and local program managers to assess problems and design needed changes.

Establishing or improving monitoring networks will help ensure water is not only clean and safe, but secure, as well.

2) Conserving, Sustaining and Securing Water Infrastructure: Steady population growth and the ravages of time have combined to put the integrity of the Nation's water clean water and drinking infrastructure in jeopardy at the same time that the security of this infrastructure is at greater risk.

Over the past several years, we have recognized the seriousness of this problem and taken some steps toward defining solutions. Many of these solutions apply to both clean water and drinking water infrastructure. We know the usefulness of tools like asset management, full cost pricing, and voluntary water conservation. Advancing a "water star" program, including voluntary labeling of water efficient products will remain a priority. We have also taken key first steps to improve the security of water infrastructure. Now we must bring these tools together and deliver them more widely to drinking water and wastewater systems.

3) Restoring and Protecting Watersheds and Source Waters: We can make better decisions about managing water when we think more comprehensively about the resource, from surface water to ground water and wetlands to tributaries.

In the case of the clean water program, we are increasingly making decisions about individual waterbodies in the context of the larger watershed. Water quality trading and watershed based permitting will continue to offer innovative, efficient and effective approaches to runoff and other wet weather flows that challenge communities and their budgets.

In the case of the drinking water program, we are increasingly complementing the water treatment that assures compliance with drinking water regulations with efforts to protect the quality of the source of the water.

Ensuring not net loss of wetlands will remain a priority, not only to meet Clean Water Act goals and requirements, but to advance source water protection.

Finally, any preface to the work that the National Water Program will do in FY 2005 would not be complete without mention of the important decisions to be made in response to the report of the National Oceans Commission this fall. Coastal and ocean waters are among the most important of our water resources in ecological and economic terms and they are under significant pressure. Later this year, the Oceans Commission will issue a final report recommending steps to protect this vital resource, prompting discussion and debate on a wide range of coastal and ocean issues integrating issues and programs under the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and Ocean Dumping Act. The Administration will also be preparing a comprehensive, multi-Agency response. I hope that managers throughout the National Water Program will join me in active participation in these discussions and will help to define effective responses that complement the work we are doing.

Thank you for the outstanding work you have done to continue thirty years of progress toward cleaner and safer water for all Americans. Special thanks also go to Tim Fontaine, Jeff Peterson, and Mike Shapiro for their hard work and leadership on the National Program Guidance. I look forward to working with you all over the coming months as we continue this vital mission.

top

Executive Summary

This National Water Program Guidance for FY 2005 describes how EPA, States, Tribes and others will work together in FY 2005 to protect and improve the quality of the Nation's waters. The steps outlined in the Guidance are designed to implement the general directions established in the new Environmental Protection Agency Strategic Plan for 2004 - 2008.

Three key questions addressed in this Executive Summary are:

– What are we trying to accomplish in public health and environmental terms?
– What is our strategy for making the best use of program tools and other resources to accomplish public health and water quality improvements? and
– How will we evaluate our progress over time?

WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?

With the help of States, Tribes and other partners, EPA expects to make significant progress toward protecting human health and improving water quality by 2008 including –

– Water Safe to Drink: increase the rate of compliance with drinking water standards from 93% to 95%;

– Fish and Shellfish Safe to Eat: reduce pollution in waters with fish advisories so that consumption limits can be relaxed for 3% of problem waters while increasing the percentage of shellfishing acres that are open from 77% to 85%;

– Water Safe for Swimming: restore polluted waters to allow swimming again in at least 5% of the waters where swimming is now unsafe;

– Healthy Watersheds: restore polluted waters so that, of the 2,262 major watersheds across the Nation, at least 600 have few remaining problems (i.e. at least 80% of assessed waters meet State water quality standards) and show improvement in 200 watersheds;

– Healthy Coastal Waters: show steady improvement in seven specific indicators of the health of each of the four major coastal ecosystems around the country; and

– More Wetlands: achieve a net increase of 400,000 acres of wetlands.

The new Strategic Plan identifies additional goals for environmental improvements in critical waters including the Gulf of Mexico, the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Mexico Border area.

WHAT IS THE STRATEGY?

The National Water Program Guidance for FY 2005 describes, in general terms, the work that needs to be done in FY 2005 in order to reach the public health and water quality goals we want to attain by FY 2008. At the national level, each strategy for progress toward a specific environmental improvement includes some common elements (see below) that provide a conceptual framework for more detailed plans at the Region/State/Tribal level.

Common Elements of Strategies

This Guidance presents a strategy for addressing each of ten specific objectives for improvement in public health and water quality. More detailed information is available in Sub-objective Implementation Plans and Regional Plans. Some of the common elements of these strategies are:

– Describe Core Water Programs: Strategies describe how the core national programs (e.g. State Revolving Funds, water quality standards, discharge permits development of safe drinking water standards, source water protection, etc.) will contribute to meeting the environmental goals of the Strategic Plan.

– Describe Key Program Activities: For each core program, a minimum number of key program activities are identified (see Appendix 1). Some of these activities are undertaken by EPA (e.g. development of drinking water standards, approval of State water quality standards) while other activities are carried out by States or Tribes.

– Define FY 05 Targets for Key Program Activities: For some of the program activities, EPA asks States and Tribes to simply report progress. For other activities, EPA works with States or Tribes to define specific commitments to measurable progress in FY 05 (see Appendix 2).

– Develop Innovations and Voluntary Programs: Throughout the Guidance, innovations in program management are identified and promoted (e.g., cost savings attainable through water quality trading and development of watershed permits). Subobjective strategies also promote voluntary programs (e.g., water conservation, guidelines for subsurface sewage disposal) and partnerships.

– Engage Other EPA Programs and Other Federal Resources: The Guidance describes how core water programs will complement one another (e.g. clean water program support for safer drinking water) and how core water programs will be supplemented with the work of other EPA programs (e.g., research, compliance assurance, pesticides) and other Federal agencies (e.g., Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Indian Affairs).

The Guidance goes beyond the common elements of a strategy described above to identify specific estimates of progress for each EPA Region to work toward for FY 05 and 08 for two key environmental/public health goals:

– improving the percentage of population served by community water systems that provide safe drinking water; and
– restoring and improving water quality on a watershed basis.

EPA recognizes that the estimates of progress toward these key goals in each Region contained in this Guidance are preliminary. During the spring, EPA Regions will have a chance to work with States to review data, consider the likely effect of programs, and develop revised estimates of progress. This process presents difficult challenges, but is a critical step toward shifting the focus of program managers at all levels from delivery of individual program activities toward more integrated management of diverse program tools with the aim of accomplishing a measurable improvement in public health and the environment. As information about progress toward environmental and public health goals becomes the basis for decision-making, program managers can implement an adaptive management process to continually refine understanding of needs and better focus programs and resources.

Region/State/Tribal Contributions to National Guidance:

Regions have developed Regional Plans that express the core water programs in the context of the specific conditions and needs of the Region and describe water issues in the Region that are not addressed by the national program. In addition, Regions and National Program Managers have jointly identified "Regional straw targets" for those program activity measures that include a target and, in the case of the drinking water and watershed goals, estimated progress to be made in the form of either a Regional estimate or a proportional share of progress needed to meet the national goal for FY 05.

In the spring of 2004, EPA Regions will work with States and Tribes to develop annual grant workplans or Performance Partnership Agreements. The goal of this joint effort is to allocate available resources to those program activities that are likely to result in the best progress toward accomplishing water quality and public health goals for that State/Tribe (e.g. improved compliance with drinking water standards, improved water quality on a watershed basis). Regional straw targets in this Guidance are the starting point for discussions, but the more formal, State-specific commitments that result from workplan discussions are intended to reflect environmental and financial circumstances in the State and to supplant these straw targets. The tailored State/Tribal program commitments that result from this process will define, in an operational sense, the "strategy" for the National Water Program for FY 2005.

Key To Success – Solid Program Execution:

The key to the success of the National Water Program in meeting key water quality improvement goals is solid execution of the program activities that Regions, States and Tribes identify as most likely to result in progress toward these goals for each State and Tribe. EPA will not press States/Tribes to align resources with a single, comprehensive set of "national program priorities" because this would require revising the otherwise optimal allocation of resources for meeting environmental goals in that State/Tribe and, thereby, undermine solid program execution.

At the same time, some program elements of the National Water Program are essential to the success of the program at the national level. It is in the interest of all States and Tribes that the National Water Program maintain a cohesive structure and that core elements of the program are advanced in a coordinated manner. Twelve specific program activity measures where significant progress, equal to or exceeding the Regional/national FY 05 straw targets identified in this National Water Program Guidance, is essential to maintaining the cohesiveness and momentum of the National Water Program are identified below.

Safe Drinking Water
1) Conduct sanitary surveys at Community Water Systems (PAM # 8).
2) Implement actions called for in source water protection strategies (PAM #11).

Water Quality Standards
3) Assure effective operation of the standards program (PAMs #38 and #43).
4) Adopt current bacteria criteria for coastal recreational waters (PAM # 33).
5) Adopt fish tissue criteria for mercury (PAM #31).

Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment
6) Adopt/implement new comprehensive monitoring strategies (PAM # 44).
7) Develop integrated assessments of State waters (PAM #45).

Waterbody and Watershed Restoration
8) Implement watershed-based plans to protect water quality (PAM# 49).
9) Develop TMDLs on an approved schedule (PAM #52).

Discharge Permit Program
10) Issue high priority NPDES permits in accordance with the Permitting for Environmental Results Strategy (PAM #59).
11) Implement the new permit requirements for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (PAM #60).
12) Issue Phase II permits for storm water from municipal sources and construction sites (PAMs #61 and #62).

In the case of these twelve essential program activities, the Regions will make every effort to work with States to define "commitments" that meet or exceed the Regional straw targets in this Guidance, including making these activities a priority in development of grant workplans. Regions should consult with National Program Managers if they anticipate not meeting targets for these measures prior to finalization of draft workplan commitments in July.

HOW WILL PROGRESS BE MEASURED?

As the strategies and programs described in this Guidance are implemented during fiscal year 2005, EPA, States, and Tribes will evaluate progress toward the environmental and public health goals described in the new EPA Strategic Plan. With this information, EPA will work with States and Tribes, using an "adaptive management" approach, to refine program emphases to improve program performance. Where information about progress toward environmental and public health goals is incomplete, EPA will use more focused, program-specific evaluations to improve operational effectiveness.

The National Water Program will evaluate progress using three key tools:

– National Water Program Performance Reports: The Office of Water will use data provided by Regions, States and Tribes to prepare performance reports for the National Water Program at the mid-point and end of each fiscal year. The reports will include conclusions about program performance and recommendations for response actions based on conclusions.

– EPA HQ/Regional Dialogues: Each year, the Office of Water will visit up to four EPA Regional Offices and Great Waterbody Offices to conduct dialogues on program management and performance. A key topic for the HQ/Regional dialogues will be identification of program innovations or "best practices" developed by the Region, States, Tribes, watershed organizations, and others.

– Program-Specific Evaluations: In addition to looking at the performance of the National Water Program at the national level and performance in each EPA Region, individual water programs will be evaluated periodically by EPA and by external parties (Inspector General, General Accounting Office). EPA will develop an annual plan that identifies all the water program-specific evaluations that are expected to be underway in that year.

top

Introduction

In October of 2003, EPA published a new Strategic Plan defining specific environmental and public health improvements to be accomplished by 2008. This National Program Guidance builds on the new Strategic Plan by defining the process for creating an operational plan for water programs for fiscal year 2005 (FY 2005). Some elements of the operational plan for FY 05 are included in this Guidance (e.g. key national program strategies and annual priorities). Additional elements of the FY 2005 operational plan (e.g. program specific commitments for FY 2005) will be developed over the coming months in discussions among EPA Regions, States, and Tribes following the process outlined in this Guidance.

Central Theme – Environmental and Public Health Results

The central theme of the new EPA Strategic Plan is that the rate of progress toward a cleaner environment can be improved through clearer definition of the specific environmental improvements needed in the foreseeable future (e.g. 5 years). The Strategic Plan defines specific improvements in drinking water and surface water quality to be accomplished by 2008 and goes further to outline general strategies for accomplishing these improvements. Although the Strategic Plan promises environmental improvements, standing alone, it can't make these improvements a reality. Some of the additional steps that are needed, and are addressed in this National Program Guidance, are described below.

– Today, clean water and drinking water programs are too often delivered in discrete programs without the integration among programs that could dramatically improve environmental results. This National Program Guidance is organized around environmental results (i.e. subobjectives from the Strategic Plan) rather than traditional programs in an effort to encourage program managers at all levels to adopt an entrepreneurial spirit in using a diverse array of program tools to accomplish environmental improvements (e.g. compliance/enforcement, other EPA programs, programs of other Federal agencies).

– In the past, national program managers have asked Regions to commit to a share of annual program outputs and Regions have asked States to do the same. Under the management system described in this Guidance, Regions propose to the national program annual program output targets that make sense in that Region in a "bottom-up" process. This process allows Regions and States to shift program resources to best fit the environmental conditions and needs in that Region on an annual basis while keeping a long-term national program target in mind.

– Once program commitments are made, it is critical that information about progress toward commitments be evaluated and used to make adaptive management decisions. The management system described in this Guidance provides for a comprehensive process to evaluate progress.

Organization of this Guidance

This National Program Guidance is divided into four major sections:

– strategies for attaining the objectives and subobjectives related to water in the new EPA Strategic Plan (see Table I);

– description of the program management system to be used by the EPA generally and the National Water Program more specifically;

– tables of "program activity measures" addressing the measurement of program activities that most directly contribute to attaining objectives and subobjectives; and

– background information on program grants to States, Tribes, and others that support program activities.

Each of these sections is described briefly below:

1) Subobjective Strategies: The EPA Strategic Plan addresses water programs in both Goal 2, (i.e. "Clean and Safe Water"), and Goal 4, (i.e. "Healthy Communities and Ecosystems"). Within these Goals, there are ten subobjectives that define specific environmental or public health results to be accomplished by 2008 (see Table I).

Table I:

EPA has developed Draft Implementation Plans for FY 2005 for each of the ten key subobjectives related to water (see Table II). These Subobjective Implementation Plans were developed jointly by EPA Headquarters and Regional offices.

This Guidance provides a summary of the more detailed Sub-objective Implementation Plans. These summaries describe the basic strategic approach to attaining each of the sub-objectives, identify the key program activities that support this work, describe innovative approaches developed by Regions, and identify the EPA program grants in the subject area.

Table II.

Goals 2 and 4 of the EPA Strategic Plan address public health and environmental improvements that apply to all Americans, including Americans living in Indian country. Sub-objective Implementation Plans address outcomes or program activities that relate to tribal waters or the health of people living on tribal lands.

2) Water Program Management System: This section of the Guidance describes a three step process for management of water programs.

– Step 1 is the development of this National Water Program Guidance.

– Step 2 involves consultation among Regions, States, and Tribes to be conducted this Spring and Summer to further define Regional and State priorities and develop State and Regional "commitments" to support each of the Subobjective Implementation Plans.

A key product of this consultation process is the conversion of "targets" for FY 05 activities provided in this Guidance into more binding "commitments" to be included in State/Tribal workplans and grant agreements (i.e., draft commitments in July and final commitments in September).

– Step 3 involves work to be done during FY 05 to track progress in program implementation and improve program performance based on evaluation feedback.

3) Water Measures: The Appendix of this National Program Guidance includes two tables of water program measures.

Appendix 1 includes all measures related to water programs, including the environmental/public health measures stated in the EPA Strategic Plan and the measures of activity in a range of program areas that support each subobjective (i.e. "Program Activity Measures" or "PAMs"). Program Activity Measures address activities to be implemented by EPA Headquarters, EPA Regional Offices, and by States/Tribes that administer national programs. They are the basis for monitoring progress in implementing programs to accomplish the environmental improvements described in the new Strategic Plan.

Appendix 2 includes only those Program Activity Measures for which there are management "targets" for FY 2005 and FY 2008 and for which EPA, States and Tribes will need to develop FY 2005 targets. For these measures, the table provides "straw" targets for each Region and for the country as a whole. These targets are intended to provide a point of reference as Regions and States/Tribes define more formal "commitments" in the Spring/Summer of 2004.

4) Grant Management: EPA provides a wide range of grant funding to States, Tribes, and others to implement clean water and drinking water programs and projects, including the program activity measures described above. The Office of Water places a high priority on effective grants management and is emphasizing three key areas as these grants are implements:

– standardizing the timing of issuance of guidance for categorical grants;

– ensuring that high priority is placed on effective grant management; and

– linking grants to the achievement of environmental results as laid out in the Agency Strategic Plan.

More information about grants management is available and a table of key water grant programs with applicable FY 2005 guidance.

top

STRATEGIES FOR PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

For each of the ten key subobjectives related to water that are addressed in the new EPA Strategic Plan, EPA has worked with States and other stakeholders to define strategies for accomplishing the improvements in the environment or public health expressed in the subobjective.

The Strategic Plan includes general descriptions of strategies and programs that will apply over the 2004 - 2008 period. This National Program Guidance describes plans and strategies at a more operational level and focuses on FY 2005. In addition, this Guidance refers to "Program Activity Measures" that define key program activities that support each subobjective (see appendix). Some of these Program Activity Measures include national and Regional targets for FY 2005 and FY 2008.

Finally, the text provided below is a summary of more detailed "Subobjective Implementation Plans" for each subobjective. These plans provide additional information concerning the subobjective and further explanation of proposed strategies and actions.

top

1. Water Safe to Drink

For almost 30 years, protecting the Nation's public health through safe drinking water has been the shared responsibility of EPA, the States, and over 53,000 community water systems (CWSs)[1] nationwide that supply drinking water to more than 260 million Americans (approximately 90% of the U.S. population). Within this time span, safety standards have been established and are being implemented for 91 microbial, chemical, and radiological contaminants. Forty-nine States have adopted primary authority for enforcing their drinking water programs. Additionally, CWS operators are better informed and trained on the variety of ways to both treat contaminants, and prevent them from entering the source of their drinking water supplies.

During 2005 - 2008, EPA, the States, and CWSs will build on these programmatic successes while working toward the goal of assuring that 95 percent of the population served by CWSs receives drinking water that meets all applicable standards.

1: Although the Safe Drinking Water Act applies to 161,201 public water systems nationwide (as of December 2003), which include schools, hospitals, factories, campgrounds, motels, gas stations, etc. that have their own water system, this implementation plan focuses only on CWSs. A CWS is a public water system that provides water to the same population year-round. As of December 2003, there were 53,363 CWSs.

A) Environmental/Health Results Expected

Environmental and public health results identified in the new EPA Strategic Plan related to safe drinking water are:

1) Percent of the population served by community water systems that receive drinking water that meets all applicable health-based drinking-water standards through effective treatment and source water protection.

2002 Baseline: 93.6% 2005 Target: 93% 2008 Target: 95%

2) Percent of the population served by community water systems that receives drinking water that meets health-based standards for those requirements with which systems need to comply:

As of December 2001:
2002 Baseline: 93.6% 2005 Target: 94% 2008 Target: 95%

As of January 2002 or later:
2002 Baseline: N/A 2005 Target: 75% 2008 Target: 80%

3) Percent of community water systems that provide drinking water that meets health-based standards for those requirements with which systems need to comply:

As of December 2001:
2002 Baseline: 91.6% 2005 Target: 94% 2008 Target: 95%

As of January 2002 or later:
2002 Baseline: N/A 2005 Target: 75% 2008 Target: 80%

4) Percent of the population served by community water systems in Indian country that receive drinking water that meets all applicable health-based drinking-water standards.

2002 Baseline: 91.1% 2005 Target: 90% 2008 Target: 95%

5) Percent of source water areas (both surface and ground water) for community water systems that will achieve minimized risk to public health.

2002 Baseline: 5 % 2005 Target: 20% 2008 Target: 50%

top

B) Key National Strategies

The subobjective goal that 95 percent of the population served by CWSs receives drinking water that meets all applicable standards reflects the fundamental public health protection mission of the national drinking water program. The standards do not prescribe a specific treatment approach; rather, individual systems decide how best to comply with any given standard based upon their own unique circumstances. Systems achieve compliance with standards by employing various elements of what public health experts refer to as "multiple barriers of protection." The multiple barriers may include source water protection; various stages of treatment; proper operation and maintenance of the distribution and finished water storage system; and customer awareness.

EPA has identified key activities within five core program areas that are critical to ensuring safe drinking water. The core program areas are:

• Development or revisions to drinking water standards;

• Implementation of drinking water standards and other program requirements;

• Promotion of sustainable management of drinking water infrastructure;

• Protection of sources of drinking water from contamination; and

• Assurance that critical water infrastructure is secure from terrorist and other intentional acts.

Each of these five key areas is discussed below.

Collectively, these core areas and other interrelated elements of the national safe drinking water program form a balanced, integrated framework that comprise the multiple barrier approach to protecting public health from unsafe drinking water. At the national level, implementation of this approach is expected to result in significant progress toward the public health goals described above.

In support of the national strategy, each EPA Regional Office has established Regional straw targets for FY 2005 (see Table III). In addition to implementing the core elements of the national strategy, Regions defined in their Regional Plans how they will work to attain their FY 2005 straw targets (see Regional Plans).

1 Based on January 2004 SDWIS data.
2 2.1.1 is not an average of Strategic Targets A & B.
3 FY 2005 National Totals are weighted by population.

There are specific Regional explanations for lower FY 2005 targets, which bring down the national FY 2005 target. As part of EPA's continuing data reliability analyses, we have identified a degree of under reporting of violations of health-based standards, and of violations of regulatory monitoring and reporting requirements by states. As a result of these data quality issues, the baseline statistic of national compliance with health-based drinking water standards likely is lower than previously reported. EPA is continuing to pursue this issue by 1) improving and updating SDWIS and the linkage between state and federal data submissions; and 2) working with states to more accurately quantify the impact of these data quality problems by determining if the under-reporting is actually non-reporting of violations that occurred. As a result, EPA may not reach these FY 2005 and FY 2008 national projected targets

Note that CWSs are expected to comply with a wider range of drinking water standards in 2005 than was required in 2002.

1) Development or Revisions to Drinking Water Standards

During FY 2005, EPA will be working with States and other stakeholders on three new drinking water regulations:

-- Ground Water Rule: This regulation, to be promulgated in October, 2004, will specify the appropriate use of disinfection in ground water and establishes multiple barriers to protect against bacteria and viruses in drinking water from ground water sources. In FY 05, EPA will work with States to develop plans and schedules for compliance with the regulation. Proposed Ground Water Rule website.

– Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule: This regulation, to be promulgated in June of 2005, targets additional Cryptosporidium treatment requirements to higher risk systems, mitigates risks from uncovered finished water storage facilities, and ensures that systems maintain microbial protection as they take steps to reduce the formation of disinfection by-products. Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule website.

– Stage 2 Disinfectant and Disinfection By-Products Rule: This regulation, to be promulgated in June of 2005, focuses on public health protection by limiting exposure to disinfection by-products, which can form in water through disinfectants used to control microbial pathogens. Microbial and Disinfection Byproduct Rules website.

EPA will also continue to conduct analysis of contaminants in drinking water to support decisions concerning regulation of unregulated contaminants for a second round of the Contaminant Candidate List process in FY 2006 (see Program Activity Measures #2 and #3) and to develop information to support regulations for bacteria in distribution systems of public water supplies (i.e., Total Coliform Rule); (see Program Activity Measure #1).

2) Implementation of Drinking Water Standards:

During FY 05, EPA will support State efforts to meet existing and new drinking water standards using the following tools:

– Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program Grants: The FY 2005 President's Budget requests $105.1 million for this grant program, an increase of $2.6 million from the FY 04 appropriations and over $12.5 million from the FY 2003 funding level. EPA will issue new program guidance on priority activities for States' use of these funds in FY 05. For instance, the Agency will request States to target their PWSS funds to ensure that:

– drinking water systems of all sizes that meet existing and new health-based standards continue to stay in compliance;

– all size systems not meeting existing and new health-based standards get into compliance and stay in compliance;

– all size drinking water systems are preparing to comply with the new health-based standards that will be in effect in FY 05; and

– data quality and other data problems are being addressed.

PWSS grants information

– Sanitary Surveys: Sanitary surveys are on-site reviews of the water sources, facilities, equipment, operation, and maintenance of public water systems. All States are to be in compliance with requirements to conduct sanitary surveys at CWSs once every three years starting in 2004 (see Program Activity Measure #8). For systems determined by the State to have outstanding performance based on prior surveys, subsequent surveys may be conducted every five years. EPA will conduct surveys at CWSs on tribal lands (see Program Activity Measure #9).

Electronic Sanitary Surveys

– Technical Assistance and Training: Reference materials for new regulations (e.g., new arsenic standard) will be developed and training sessions (e.g., in person, satellite/webcast) on implementation of new regulations will be offered. As part of this effort, EPA is working with States and stakeholder organizations to continue a Small Systems Initiative that provides a range of technical assistance to help systems serving fewer than 3,300 people meet existing and new drinking water standards. In addition, the Drinking Water Academy will develop and deliver training (in both English and Spanish) on a variety of drinking water topics.

– Operator Certification: States must implement programs to certify operators of drinking water systems. In 2000, EPA published guidance outlining minimum requirements for States' operator certification programs. In addition, EPA will be publishing guidance on implementing a drinking water operator certification program in Indian country. EPA Regions will work with certification provider organizations to begin new, or amend existing operator certification programs. EPA HQ will be providing grants and working closely with the Regions as the implementation of the Tribal Operator Certification Program begins in FY 2005. Operator Certification website.

– Data Access, Quality, and Reliability: EPA will complete the modernization of the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), which serves as the primary source of national information on compliance with all health-based, regulatory requirements of SDWA. New drinking water program requirements will be incorporated into SDWIS to help States (and those Tribes having access to SDWIS) monitor and report drinking water data. In addition, EPA is continuing to work with States to encourage use of SDWIS/State because of its compatibility and ease of reporting with the national SDWIS.

Finally, EPA will also work with the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance to identify instances of actual or expected noncompliance that pose risk to public health and to take appropriate compliance assistance or enforcement actions as necessary.

3) Promotion of Sustainable Management of Drinking Water Infrastructure

The Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF), established under the Safe Drinking Water Act, offers low interest loans to help public water systems across the nation make improvements and upgrades to their water infrastructure, or other activities that build system capacity . In FY 2005, the DWSRF program will provide and estimated 500-600 more loans. Program Activity Measure #5 calls for the DWSRF fund utilization (cumulative dollar amount of loan agreements divided by cumulative funds available for projects) to increase from a 2002 level of 75% to 86% in 2008.

EPA will also work with States to increase the percentage of DWSRF loan agreements made each year that return a system to compliance, estimated to be 30% of loan agreements in 2002 (see Program Activity Measure #7). Finally, EPA will monitor the number of DWSRF funded projects that initiate operations; and the rate of return on the Federal investment, estimated to be $1.60 for each Federal dollar in 2002 (see Program Activity Measure #4) and the number of projects that have initiated operations (see Program Activity Measure #6).

In addition, in FY 2005, EPA will implement a Sustainable Infrastructure Leadership Initiative addressing both drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. EPA will work in partnership with States, the water utility industry, and other stakeholders to ensure sustainability of water and wastewater systems. The specific focus of this initiative is to identify and promote new and better ways of doing business in the water and wastewater industry. EPA will work with the water industry to identify best practices that have helped many of the Nation's utilities address their own internal gap and extend their use to a greater number of utilities.

4) Protection of Sources of Drinking Water

In FY 2005, EPA will work with States and water systems to improve protection of sources of drinking water in three key areas.

-- Voluntary Source Water Protection Strategies: EPA will promote the concepts of a multiple barriers approach to drinking water program management and will work with States to track, to the extent feasible, the development and implementation of source water protection strategies. EPA has set a goal of increasing the number of source water areas (both surface and ground water) for community water systems that have minimized risk to public health from an estimated baseline of 5% of all areas in 2002. In support of this goal, EPA will monitor development and implementation of source water protection strategies by CWSs and tribal water systems (see Program Activity Measures #10/#11/#12). EPA will also support digitized delineation of source water areas (see Program Activity Measure #14).

EPA will also work with States and water systems to monitor progress in several key program areas, giving special attention to using information to identify the greatest threats. Starting in FY 2004, States will provide information on the susceptibility of sources waters to contamination. EPA and States will focus efforts, to the extent feasible, to address the greatest threats and to protect susceptible systems (see Program Activity Measure #13). EPA will also work with States to identify each year, at the State level, the most prevalent and threatening categories of sources of contamination of water systems (see Program Activity Measure #15).

-- Cross-Program Initiatives: In addition to activities and programs authorized by the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA is encouraging States and communities to expand their prevention efforts to recognize authorities and resources of other programs, such as water quality standards under the Clean Water Act, pesticide programs, the Underground Storage Tank program, the Superfund program, and programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In the case of Clean Water Act standards, EPA will work in FY 2005 to complete the Phase 1 recalculation of water quality criteria to reflect the new methodology for assessing human health impacts of contaminants in surface waters. EPA will also identify contaminants found in surface water that are of concern for drinking water and publish three new or revised human health criteria under the Clean Water Act each year (see Program Activity Measures #22 and #23).

In a related effort, EPA will work with States to identify surface waters used by CWSs for which States have, where ever attainable, adopted "public water supply" as the designated use under the Clean Water Act. Beginning in FY 2005, EPA will set targets for adoption of the public water supply use where attainable (see Program Activity Measures #21 and #24). EPA will also identify surface waters that are used as public water supplies and are highly or moderately vulnerable to contamination and will track implementation of key activities such as monitoring and the development and implementation of TMDLs for these waters (see Program Activity Measures #25/#26/#27).

In addition, EPA will work with the EPA Office of Pesticides Programs to assure that appropriate management controls, such as label restrictions, limited use in sensitive areas, and additional monitoring, are implemented for all of the 31 pesticides now identified as having a high leaching/persistence potential by 2008 and for 90% of these pesticides by 2005 (see Program Activity Measure #16).
EPA will also work with the USDA and state-based water organizations to identify a minimum of five drinking water systems whose water supplies are seriously threatened by agricultural contaminants like herbicides, pesticides, and nitrogen. Once identified, USDA's field offices (e.g., Extension Service, Conservation Districts) will work with the farmers within the watershed, especially those with land near drinking water intakes, to change their farming practices to those that are more environmentally friendly.

Source Water Protection website

-- Underground Injection Control: EPA works with States to control injection of hazardous substances and other waste to prevent contamination of underground sources of drinking water.

In 2005, EPA will continue to focus on shallow wells (Class V) in source water areas. EPA and the States will work to assure that all identified Class V motor vehicle waste disposal wells are closed by 2008 (see Program Activity Measure #18). Finally, EPA and State will work to increase the number of inspections of Class V and Class II wells by 10% by 2008 (see Program Activity Measure #20).

EPA and States will also work to assure that 100 percent of Class I, II, III and V wells that are identified in violation are addressed (see Program Activity Measure #17). And, EPA will work with States and other partners to develop mechanisms that will provide information on the Class V well inventory (see Program Activity Measure #19).

5) Assurance that Critical Water Infrastructure Is Secure

In FY 2005, EPA will continue its lead Federal Agency responsibility in supporting States and water utilities to secure their infrastructure from terrorist threats and other intentional acts.

EPA will provide training and technical and limited financial assistance for the water sector's preparation of voluntary best practices for water utility security, including effective security enhancements, innovative financing mechanisms, and design standards to incorporate security measures in new construction/reconstruction. EPA and stakeholders will work to achieve consensus on best practices and establish a voluntary program by which systems certify the implementation of these practices. EPA expects to track the number of systems that have established core best practices starting in FY 2005.

EPA will also work with States and water systems to conduct training, including exercises and simulations, for water utilities and others organizations they would depend on in an emergency (e.g., local law enforcement officials, Hazmat teams, environmental laboratories, other infrastructure, and public health officials). Training will improve response for all emergencies, such as blackouts and hurricanes as well as those related to homeland security.

A third critical area of water infrastructure security is development of information tools to provide up-to-date data on contaminant characteristics, water treatment effectiveness, detection technologies, analytical protocols, and laboratory capabilities for use by individuals or organizations responding to a water contamination event. EPA will continue to support the secure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC) to exchange and analyze threat and incident information and to serve as a clearinghouse for sensitive information.

Water Infrastructure Security website

top

C) Key Regional Strategies

In addition to the national strategy described above, several EPA Regional Offices have developed innovative approaches to improving the safety of drinking water.

In EPA New England, EPA has begun a "Businesses for Safe Drinking Water Initiative" with the goal of educating, inspiring, and recognizing businesses that have worked with water suppliers to protect public sources of drinking water. More than twenty businesses have come forward to be recognized for source water protection efforts including storm water management around reservoirs, water conservation, land acquisition, and public education.

In Region 3, EPA has engaged State agencies and the US Geological Survey in developing a Nitrate Strategy for the Delmarva Peninsula in response to data showing violations in this area. The Strategy is designed to identify the major sources of pollution and define appropriate control measures.

Region 6 is working with Oklahoma to provide performance-based training for owners and operators of small systems.

EPA Region 8 is developing a regional, voluntary Tribal Operator Certification program in Indian country to improve institutional knowledge to maintain safe drinking water.

top

D) Grant Program Resources

EPA has several program grants to the States, authorized under the Safe Drinking Water Act, that support work towards the drinking water strategic goals including the Public Water Sustem Supervision (PWSS), Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), Underground Injection Control (UIC), and water security grants. For additional information concerning these grants, see the grant program guidance website at www.epa.gov/water/waterplan.

The PWSS grants to the States support the States' primacy activities (e.g. enforcement and compliance with drinking water regulations). EPA will issue new PWSS grant guidance in April, and, as noted above, encourages States to use the more than $12.5 million increase in requested funds from the FY 03 level to improve and/or maintain compliance by all systems and to manage their data quality. Of the FY 05 President's Budget request of $105.1 million, $6.8 million will go to support implementation of the Tribal Drinking Water Programs. EPA Regions directly implement the PWSS program in Indian country, and will be targeting funds towards the same priority activities as the States.
In FY 2005, the DWSRF program will provide and estimated 500-600 more loans to public water systems for infrastructure improvement projects. It is important to note that EPA also allows States to reserve a portion of their grant to support their drinking water program as well as activities needed for source water protection and enhanced water systems management.

EPA also awards grants to States to carry out primary enforcement (primacy) responsibilities for implementing regulations associated with Classes I, II, III and V underground injection wells. In addition, emphasis is directed to activities that address shallow wells (Class V) in source water areas.

Water security grants will continue to maintain the States' efforts in coordinating their critical water infrastructure protection activities with other homeland security responsibilities.

Finally, grants under section 106 of the Clean Water Act are available to support State ground water protection programs. EPA recommends that States continue to direct Section 106 funding for source water protection actions to protect ground water and drinking water.

Funding for development of infrastructure to address public health goals related to access to safe drinking water comes from several sources within EPA and from other Federal agencies. EPA provides funds "set-aside" from the DWSRF program national appropriation for grants for Tribal drinking water projects, including both upgrading of tribal community water systems and improving access through construction of new systems. These funds are estimated to be about $12.7 million in FY 2005. EPA also administers a grant program for water and wastewater projects in Alaska Native Villages (about $43 million in FY 2004, divided about equally between drinking water and wastewater). Additional funding is available from other Federal agencies, including the Indian Health Service.

Grant Guidance

top

2) Fish and Shellfish Safe to Eat

Across the U.S., States and Tribes have issued fish consumption advisories for a range of contaminants covering almost half a million stream miles and over 10 million lake acres. In addition almost a quarter of the over 20 million valuable shellfishing acres managed by States Nationwide are not open for use.

A) Environmental and Health Results Expected

The new EPA Strategic Plan calls for improving the quality of water and sediments to allow increased consumption of fish and shellfish:

1) Improve the quality of water and sediments to allow for increased consumption of safe fish in a percentage of the river miles/lake acres identified by States or Tribes as having a fish consumption advisory in 2002.

2002 Baseline: 485,205 river miles and 11,277,276 lake acres under advisory
By 2005: 1% of advisory waters improved By 2008: 3%

2) Increase the percentage of shellfish-growing acres monitored by States that are approved or conditionally approved for use.

1995 Baseline: 77% of 21.6 million acres open for use
By 2005: 80% acres open for use By 2008: 85%

top

B) Key National Strategies

EPA's national approach to meeting safe fish and shellfish goals is described below.

1) Safe Fish

The Agency approach to making fish safer to eat includes several key elements:

– reduce air deposition of mercury;

– implement water pollution control programs to address specific impaired waters;

– use the Superfund program to restore the condition of aquatic sediment, focusing on PCBs; and

– improve public information and notification of fish consumption risks.

Most of the fish consumption advisories are for mercury and a critical element of the strategy to reduce mercury in fish is reducing emissions of mercury from combustion sources in the United States. On a nationwide basis, by 2010, federal regulatory programs are expected to reduce electric-generating unit emissions of mercury from their 2000 level of 48 tons to 22 tons (see Goal 1: Clean Air, Sub-objective 1.1.2: Reduced Risk from Toxic Air Pollutants).

By using Mercury Maps it is possible to evaluate the benefits of air emission reductions or control of other sources for a specific waterbody. This tool can also be used to coordinate watershed level efforts to address mercury contamination through water quality standards, TMDL, and wastewater permitting programs. EPA will use this tool to identify priority areas where the combined effect of reduced air emissions and control of other sources of mercury would improve the safety of fish.

The second most frequent cause of fish consumption advisories is PCBs. Based on the historical phase-out of PCB manufacture, EPA expects that the most likely current source of PCBs is sediment release. For this reason, sediment remediation under the Superfund program is an important action for reducing the extent of current fish advisories. During FY 04 and 05, the Office of Water and the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response will work to identify and implement sediment restoration projects that directly contribute to restoring fish safety.

Another key element of the strategy to make fish safer to eat is to expand and improve information and notification of the risks of fish consumption. As part of this work, EPA will encourage States and Tribes to adopt the new fish tissue criterion for mercury (see Program Activity Measure #31).

In addition, by 2008, EPA expects that fish tissues will be assessed to support waterbody-specific or regional consumption advisories for at least 40% of lake acres and 20% of river miles (see Program Activity Measure #28). EPA is also working to encourage increased numbers of States and Tribes to monitor fish tissue based on national guidance (see PAMs #29 and #30).

2) Safe Shellfish

Shellfish safety is managed through the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC) , a partnership of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the State shellfish control agencies, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the EPA. The State shellfish control agencies monitor shellfishing waters and can prohibit or restrict harvesting if the waters from which shellfish are taken are considered unsafe.

Success in achieving the shellfish goals relies on implementation of Clean Water Act programs that are focused on sources causing shellfish acres to be closed. Important new technologies include pathogen source tracking, new indicators of pathogen contamination and predictive correlations between environmental stressors and their effects. Once critical areas and sources are identified, core program authorities, including expanded monitoring, development of TMDLs, and revision of discharge permit limits can be applied to improve conditions.

In addition, a wide range of clean water programs that apply throughout the country will generally reduce pathogen levels in key waters. For example, work to control Combined Sewer Overflows, to reduce discharges from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, to reduce storm water runoff, and to reduce nonpoint pollution will contribute to restoration of shellfish uses.

Finally, success in achieving the shellfish goal also depends on the efforts of others outside of the Office of Water. For example, EPA is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Food and Drug Administration to increase the number of States that participate in the national Shellfish Information Management System (SIMS) (see Program Activity Measure #32). EPA is also working to enter shellfish program monitoring data into the EPA water monitoring system (e.g., STORET).

top

C) Key Regional Strategies

Region 5 is working with Great Lake States to increase the number of days that shellfish-growing areas are open by targeting controls for key pollution sources (e.g. sewage treatment, combined sewer overflows, confined animal feeding operations) shellfishing growing areas that are closed.

In a related effort, the Gulf of Mexico Program is working to reduce the rate of shellfish-borne Vibrio vulnificus illnesses caused by consumption of commercially-harvested raw or undercooked oysters by 60% (see Program Activity Measure IV-GM-4).

EPA New England is working with the States, the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, and the US Geological Survey to develop models that provide information about sources of mercury, the susceptibility of fish to mercury contamination, the influences of landscape and water variables on mercury in fish tissue, and the relative magnitude of loadings from mercury sources in watersheds around New England. The models will be used to estimate the amount of mercury reduction from sources, especially air deposition, necessary to meet EPA's mercury criterion of 0.3 mg/kg of methyl mercury in fish tissue.

In the Great Lakes area, EPA is working with States to reduce pollutant levels in fish, with special emphasis on remediation of contamination in sediments. The Great Lakes Legacy Act, supported by additional funding requested for FY05, will focus efforts on restoration at identified Areas of Concern with a goal of completing three sites each year (see Program Activity Measure IV-GL-2). Additionally, EPA will identify sediment sites that are on the Superfund National Priority List that contribute to fish consumption advisories scheduled for remediation and evaluate whether these site remediations will enable increased consumption of fish.

top

D) Grant Program Resources

Grant resources supporting this goal include the State program grant under section 106 of the Clean Water Act, other water grants identified in the Grant Program Resources section of subobjective 4, and grants from the Great Lakes National Program Office (see grant guidance website for more information www.epa.gov/water/waterplan) as well as funding under the Superfund Program. In addition, resources are available for contaminated sediment remediation via project agreements under the Great Lakes Legacy Act. Grant and Legacy Act guidance from the Great Lakes National Program Office

Shellfish website

Fish Advisories website

top

3) Water Safe for Swimming

Recreational waters, especially beaches in coastal areas and the Great Lakes, provide recreational opportunities for millions of Americans. Swimming in some recreational waters, however, can pose a risk of illness as a result of exposure to microbial pathogens.

A) Environmental/Health Results Expected

Environmental and public health results identified in the new EPA Strategic Plan related to safe swimming waters are:

1) Restore water quality to allow swimming in waters identified by States in 2000 as unsafe for swimming:

2000 Baseline: 90,000 stream miles/2.6 million lake acres
By 2005: 2% of impaired water restored By 2008: 5%

2) Percent of days of the beach season that coastal and Great Lakes beaches monitored by State beach safety programs will be open and safe for swimming:

2002 Baseline: 94% By 2005: 94% By 2008: 96%

top

B) Key National Strategies

For Fiscal Year 2005, EPA's national strategy for improving the safety of recreational waters will include four key elements:

– establish pathogen indicators based on sound science;
– identify unsafe recreational waters and begin restoration;
– reduce pathogens levels in all recreational waters; and
– improve beach monitoring and public notification.

1) Establish Pathogen Indicators Based on Sound Science

EPA is working with States and Tribes throughout the country to encourage the adoption of the most recent (i.e., 1986) scientific indicators of unsafe pathogens in all recreational waters.

A top priority for FY 2005 is for all coastal and Great Lakes States and territories to adopt, for coastal recreational waters, water quality criteria for E.Coli and enterococci. Of the 35 coastal and Great Lakes States, 11 have adopted the 1986 criteria and another 11 are in the process of doing so. Program Activity Measure #33 indicates that EPA expects 25 States to have adopted new criteria by the end of 2005. Congress called on all coastal and Great Lake States to adopt new criteria by April 10, 2004 and directed EPA to "promptly propose" criteria for States that do not act. During FY 2005, EPA will consider promulgating such regulations if necessary.

2) Identify Unsafe Recreational Waters and Begin Restoration

A key component of the strategy to restore waters unsafe for swimming is to identify the specific waters that are unsafe and develop plans to accomplish the needed restoration. A key part of this work is to maintain strong progress toward development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) based on the schedules established by States in conjunction with EPA. Program Activity Measure #52 indicates that most EPA Regions expect to maintain 100% compliance with schedules (providing for completion of TMDLs within 13 years of listing).

In a related effort, the Office of Water will work in a new partnership with the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance (OECA) to better focus compliance and enforcement resources to unsafe recreational waters. In addition, wet weather discharges, which are a major source of pathogens, are one of OECA's national priorities for FY 2005 through 2007.

3) Reduce Pathogen Levels in Recreational Waters Generally

In addition to focusing on waters that are unsafe for swimming today, EPA, States and Tribes will work in FY 2005 to reduce the overall level of pathogens discharged to recreational waters using three key approaches:

– reduce pollution from Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs);
– address major sources discharging pathogens under the permit program; and
– improve management of septic systems.

Overflows from combined storm and sanitary sewers in urban areas can result in high levels of pathogens being released during storm events. Because urban areas are often upstream of recreational waters, these overflows are a significant source of unsafe levels of pathogens. EPA is working with States and local governments to fully implement the CSO Policy providing for the development and implementation of Long Term Control Plans (LTCPs) for CSOs. Program Activity Measure #36 indicates that EPA expects that 41% of the 745 CSO communities will have schedules in place to implement approved LTCPs in FY 2005; the FY2008 goal is 75% of communities with schedules in place.

Other key sources of pathogens to the Nation's waters are discharges of storm water from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and municipal storm sewer systems and industrial facilities. Program Activity Measure #60 indicates that EPA expects to work with States to assure that, by 2008, all States have both updated regulations and have issued general CAFO permits (45 States by 2005). Program Activity Measure #61 indicates that 93% of States will have issued general permits requiring storm water management programs for Phase II municipalities in 2005; the 2008 goal is 100%.

Finally, there is growing evidence that ineffective septic systems are contributing pathogens to recreational waters. EPA will work with State and local governments to develop voluntary approaches to improving management of these systems, including design of decentralized treatment systems. Program Activity Measure #37 addresses the number of States that have adopted Voluntary Management Guidelines for On-site/Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems published by EPA.

4) Improve Beach Monitoring and Public Notification

Another important element of the strategy for improving the safety of recreational waters is improving monitoring of public beaches and notifying the public of unsafe conditions. EPA is working with States to implement the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act and expects to provide grant funding of $10 million to States to carry out this work (see section D below). Program Activity Measure #35 indicates that EPA expects that 91% of significant public beaches will be monitored and managed under the BEACH Act in FY 05; the 2008 target is 100%. Finally, EPA will continue to conduct the National Health Protection Survey of Beaches with a focus on increasing participation of inland States and will develop internet information systems for beach safety (http://www.epa.gov/beaches).

top

C) Key Regional Strategies

In addition to the national strategy described above, several Regions have developed innovative approaches to improving the safety of recreation waters.

EPA New England, for example, is working to reduce beach closures by supporting appropriate and consistent, high-quality monitoring and public notification; supporting sanitary surveys to identify and eliminate sources of bacteria and pathogens; conducting extensive public outreach on the strategy and the importance of reducing pollution sources; and supporting new technologies to improve identification of pollution sources (e.g., microbial source tracking).

EPA Region 9 is implementing a Coastal Beach Strategy to further increase the safety of coastal beaches through development of TMDLs to address sources of pollution at the approximately 245 waterbodies with pollution problems. Some 80 TMDLs are projected for completion by 2005. In addition, because southern California has the highest number of beach user days in the nation, EPA and the State are focusing on storm water and sanitary sewer overflows, including audits of many municipal storm water sewer systems followed by enforcement actions where needed.

top

D) Grant Program Resources

Grant resources supporting this goal include the Clean Water Act section 106 grant to States, nonpoint source program implementation grants(section 319 grants), and the BEACH Act grant program grants. For additional information concerning these grants, see the grant program guidance website.

top

4) Restore and Improve Water Quality on a Watershed Basis

A large share of the resources available to the National Water Program under the Clean Water Act directly support efforts to restore and improve the quality of rivers, lakes, and streams. Over the next several years, EPA will work with States to both assure the continued effective implementation of core clean water programs and to accelerate watershed protection efforts by using a watershed approach.

A) Environmental/Health Results Expected

Environmental and public health results identified in the new EPA Strategic Plan related to improved water quality on a watershed basis are:

1) Use both pollution prevention and restoration approaches to increase:

-- the number of watersheds where water quality standards are met in at least 80 percent of the assessed water segments:

2002 Baseline: 453 watersheds of the total 2,262 USGS
cataloguing unit scale watersheds across the Nation
2005 Target: 500 2008 Target: 600

– the number of watersheds where all assessed water segments maintain their quality and at least 20 percent of assessed water segments show improvement above conditions as of 2002.

2002 Baseline: 0 USGS cataloging unit scale watersheds
2005 Target: TBD 2008 Target: 200

2) Percent of those water bodies identified in 2000 as not attaining standards where water quality standards are restored.

2000 Baseline: 21,632 waterbodies
2005 Target: 2% 2012 Target: 25%

3) Show improvement of at least 10% in each of four key parameters at a number of the 900 water monitoring stations in tribal waters:

2002 Baseline: 0 stations 2005 Target: 35 2008 Target: 90

4) Reduce the number of households on tribal lands lacking access to basic sanitation.

2000 Baseline: 71,000 hholds 2005 Target: 51,000 2008 Target: 35,000

top

B) Key National Strategies

Developing a plan that addresses this complex subobjective requires implementing a new approach that integrates numerous water program elements at a watershed level, employs multi-scale water quality data, applies innovative ideas, and engages diverse Federal, State and local stakeholders in problem solving. These objectives can best be met using a three part strategy:

-- implement core clean water programs, including innovations that apply programs on a watershed basis;
-- accelerate watershed protection; and
-- apply an adaptive management framework to make this process work.

1) Implement Core Clean Water Programs:

To protect and improve water quality on a watershed basis in FY 2005, EPA and the States need to continue to focus their work on integrating the six key program areas that form the foundation of the water program and this subobjective. Core water program work includes:

-- strengthen the water quality standards program;
-- improve water quality monitoring and assessment;
-- develop Total Maximum Daily Loads and related plans;
-- implement effective nonpoint source practices on a watershed basis;
-- strengthen the NPDES permit program; and
-- support sustainable wastewater infrastructure.

Priorities for FY 2005 in each of these key core water program areas are described below.

-- Strengthen Water Quality Standards: State and tribal water quality standards provide the environmental baselines for water quality programs. EPA provides scientific information concerning contaminants in the form of "water quality criteria" guidance and identifies innovative approaches to support State and tribal adoption of water quality standards that protect water for such uses as swimming, public water supply, and fish and wildlife.

The top priority for the criteria and standards program in FY 2005 is the continued implementation of the Water Quality Standards and Criteria Strategy, developed in cooperation with States, Tribes, and the public in 2003.

The Standards Strategy provides for EPA to continue work in developing scientific "criteria documents" for key water pollutants, including implementation protocols and methods. As indicated in Program Activity Measure #39, EPA expects to publish 3 new or revised criteria documents in 2004 and 2005 as part of a larger goal of developing criteria documents for 15 pollutants by 2008.

In addition, the Standards Strategy identifies some key efforts to strengthen the program in the coming years, including developing nutrient criteria, adopting biological criteria, and assisting tribal governments in adopting water quality standards. EPA has a goal of working with States to encourage adoption of nutrient criteria for rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs in 25 States by 2008 with an interim goal of 5 States by 2005 (see Program Activity Measure #40). EPA is also working toward a goal of adoption of biological criteria in 45 States by 2008 from the 2002 level of 15 States (see Program Activity Measure #41).

In a related effort, EPA will encourage Tribes to develop water quality standards and has a goal of increasing the number of Tribes with standards from 23 in 2002 to 33 in 2008 (see Program Activity Measure #42).

Finally, EPA will work with States and Tribes to ensure the effective operation and administration of the standards program. For example, all States and authorized Tribes are expected to review and revise their standards every 3 years, as required by the Clean Water Act. Some 78 States and authorized Tribes need to perform triennial reviews of standards and EPA will work to increase the number meeting this goal from the 2002 baseline of 55 (see Program Activity Measure #38). States have asked the EPA to make every effort to review and approve State standards within the 90 day period established in the Act. EPA has set a goal of improving the review process, and starting in FY 2005, EPA is committing to meet a target of approving close to 75% of standards within the 90 day period (see Program Activity Measure #43).

-- Improve Water Quality Monitoring: Over the next 5 years, EPA will work with States and Tribes in defining and implementing a two-part approach to building a more scientifically sound water quality monitoring program:

– providing information to make good watershed protection decisions; and
– tracking changes in the Nation's water quality over time.

Congress has recognized this improved information about the condition of waterbodies is critical to sound water quality protection decisions and has provided new funding to support expanded monitoring work. The President's budget for FY 2005 includes a request for $17 million in new funding to support water quality monitoring.

A top priority for FY 2005 is to support States in developing monitoring programs consistent with national monitoring guidance published in 2003, including State participation in efforts to develop statistically valid monitoring networks and State support of the national STORET water quality database. EPA is working to assist all 56 States and Territories in adopting and implementing monitoring strategies by 2005 (see Program Activity Measure #44). EPA is also supporting development of comprehensive monitoring strategies by Tribes and has a goal of helping 90 Tribes develop strategies by 2008 (see Program Activity Measure #46).
In a related effort, EPA will work with States and Territories to support development of integrated assessments of water quality conditions, including reports under section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act and lists of impaired waters under section 303(d) of the Act. EPA has a goal of all 56 States and Territories providing integrated assessments in 2008 and has interim goals of 41 States completing this work by 2005; increasing from the 2002 baseline of 21 States (see Program Activity Measure #45).

-- Develop Total Maximum Daily Loads and Related Plans: Development of Total Maximum Daily Loads or "TMDLs" for an impaired waterbody is a critical tool for meeting water restoration goals. TMDLs focus on clearly defined environmental goals and establish a pollutant budget, which is then implemented via permit requirements and through local, State, and Federal watershed plans/programs.

EPA will track the degree to which States develop TMDLs on approved schedules, based on a goal of being 100 percent on pace each year to meet State schedules or straight-line rates that ensure that the national policy of TMDL completion within 13 years of listing is met (see Program Activity Measure #52). EPA will also monitor the percentage of TMDLs for which EPA takes approval action within 30 days (see Program Activity Measure #54). As noted below, EPA is also encouraging States to dvelop TMDLs on a watershed basis (see Program Activity Measure #51) and to work with Tribes in this effort (see Program Activity Measure #53).

-- Control Nonpoint Source Pollution on a Watershed Basis: Polluted runoff from sources such as agricultural lands, forestry sites, and urban areas is the largest single cause of water pollution. EPA and States are working with local governments, watershed groups, property owners, and others to implement programs and management practices to control polluted runoff on a watershed basis.

EPA provides grant funds to States under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act to implement comprehensive programs to control nonpoint pollution. EPA recently published new grants guidelines for the use of these funds calling for expanding efforts to manage nonpoint pollution on a watershed basis through the development and implementation of watershed plans, with special emphasis on restoring impaired waters on a watershed basis (see discussion below).

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from nonpoint sources are significant pollutants in the Nation's waters. EPA will monitor progress in reducing loadings of these pollutants (see Program Activity Measure #57). In addition, EPA estimates that some 5,967 waterbodies are significantly impaired by nonpoint sources of pollution and will track progress in restoring these waters (see Program Activity Measure #56).

In related efforts, EPA will collaborate with State managers of Clean Water State Revolving Funds to increase investments in projects to reduce nonpoint source pollution. Properly managed on-site/decentralized systems are an important part of the Nation's wastewater infrastructure (see Program Activity Measure #58). EPA will also encourage State, tribal, and local governments to adopt voluntary guidelines for the effective management of these systems (see Program Activity Measure #37) and to use Clean Water State Revolving Funds to finance systems where appropriate.

– Strengthen NPDES Permit Program: The NPDES program requires point sources discharging to water bodies to have permits and pretreatment programs to control discharges from industrial facilities to sewage treatment plants.

In FY 2003, EPA worked with States to develop the "Permitting for Environmental Results Strategy" to address concerns about the backlog in issuing permits and the health of State NPDES programs. The strategy focuses limited resources on the most critical environmental problems and addresses program efficiency and integrity, which includes activities to streamline permit issuance and assessments of State programs and permit quality. Beginning in FY 2004, EPA will assess NPDES program integrity and track implementation of followup actions that result from the assessments (see Program Activity Measure #69).

As part of this effort to strengthen the permit program, EPA will work with States to set targets for the percentage of permits that are considered current. EPA has a goal of assuring that not less than 90% of all permits are current by 2005 and each year thereafter. In addition, EPA and States are defining a subset of permits that have high environmental priority by July of 2004. EPA has asked States to reissue these high priority permits and achieve 95% of those scheduled in FY 2005 and each year thereafter (see Program Activity Measure #59).
EPA is also working with States, Tribes, and other interested parties to strengthen the permit program in addressing Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (i.e., CAFOs) and storm water discharges. The Agency has requested additional funding of $5 million in the Section 106 grant account to support this work in FY 2005. EPA recently published new regulations concerning CAFOs and will work with States to ensure that all States are implementing the program consistent with these new regulations including updating regulations/statutes where necessary to reflect new CAFO requirements and substantially implementing the permit program consistent with the new regulations (see Program Activity Measure #60).

In addition, over the next 5 years, EPA expects that 100 percent of NPDES programs will have issued general permits requiring storm-water management programs for Phase II (mid-sized) municipalities and requiring stormwater pollution prevention plans for construction sites covered by Phase II of the storm-water program. The 2005 goal for State implementation of the stormwater program is 93% (municipalities) and 98% (construction) (see Program Activity Measures #61/#62).

Finally, EPA and States will monitor the percentage of significant industrial facilities that have control mechanisms in place to implement applicable pretreatment requirements prior to discharging to publicly owned treatment works (see Program Activity Measure #63).

Most industrial facilities discharging directly to water bodies or to sewage treatment plants have permit limits or pretreatment controls based on national regulations developed for the class of industrial activity. During FY 2004 and 2005, EPA expects to complete regulatory actions for meat and poultry processing, construction and development sites, aquaculture farms, and cooling-water intake structures. In consultation with the public, EPA will also establish program priorities based on sound science and demonstrated benefits, including the potential for cost-effective risk reduction (see Program Activity Measure #66). In addition to evaluation of regulatory options, EPA will consider other approaches (including clarifying guidance, environmental management systems, and permit writer support).

-- Support Sustainable Wastewater Infrastructure: Much of the dramatic progress in improving water quality is directly attributable to investment in wastewater infrastructure—the pipes and facilities that treat the Nation's sewage. But the job is far from over. Communities are challenged to find the fiscal resources to replace aging infrastructure, meet growing infrastructure demands fueled by population growth, and secure their infrastructure against threats.

Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRFs) provide low-interest loans to help finance wastewater treatment facilities and other water quality projects. Recognizing the substantial remaining need for wastewater infrastructure, EPA expects to continue to provide significant annual capitalization to CWSRFs for the foreseeable future. This continued investment will be tracked using measures of the return on the Federal investment and the fund utilization rate (see Program Activity Measures #70/#71).

In addition, EPA will work with States to encourage the development of integrated priority lists addressing nonpoint pollution and estuaries protection projects, as well as wastewater projects with a goal of increasing the number of States using these systems from 19 in 2002, to 29 in 2005 (see Program Activity Measure #72).

Another important approach to closing the gap between the need for clean water projects and available funding is to use sustainable management systems to prolong the lives of existing systems and provide clean water at lower cost. EPA will work to encourage rate structures that lead to full cost pricing and support water metering and other conservation measures.

In a related effort, EPA will work with other Federal agencies to improve access to basic sanitation. The 2002 World Summit in Johannesburg adopted the goal of reducing the number of people lacking access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 50% by 2015. EPA will contribute to this work through its support for development of sanitation facilities in Indian country, Alaskan Native villages, and Pacific Islands communities using funds set aside from the CWSRF and targeted grants. Other Federal agencies, such as the Department of Interior and US Department of Agriculture, also play key roles in this area.

The best way to accomplish the five year goals for watershed and water quality improvement is to deliver clean water programs on a watershed basis. In addition to development of watershed based plans, discussed in Section 2 below, core programs can be implemented on a watershed basis. Some examples of the core program activities described above that are now being implemented on a watershed basis as a result of innovations developed by State, EPA Regions, and others are include the following:

-- Development of Watershed TMDLs: Many impaired waters are clustered on a watershed basis. For these waters, EPA is encouraging States to develop TMDLs on a watershed basis (see Program Activity Measure #51). Integrating TMDLs into more comprehensive watershed planning can help develop and create the opportunity for innovations such as water quality trading and watershed-based permitting.

-- Watershed Permits: Development of discharge permits as part of a larger watershed planning process can result in more efficient administration of the permit program and more cost-effective control of pollution sources. In FY 05, EPA will monitor the number of watersheds in which a watershed permit is issued consistent with the recently published watershed permit policy and the number of States that issue permits on a rotating basin basis (see Program Activity Measure #68).

-- Watershed Trading: Implementing core programs at the watershed level is an important first step toward creating a framework for trading of pollution control responsibility among sources in order to reduce the overall cost of attaining water quality goals (see EPA Trading Policy). EPA will monitor the number of discharge permits providing for trading. In addition, EPA has set a goal of developing 200 TMDLs or watershed plans by 2008 that are designed to restore nutrient limited waters and also contain provisions to enable trading (see Program Activity Measures #67 and #55).

2) Accelerate Watershed Protection

Strong execution of core Clean Water Act programs is essential to restoring and protecting the Nation's water quality. These core programs alone, however, are not sufficient to maintain and accelerate progress toward cleaner water and accomplish the water quality improvements called for in the Agency's Strategic Plan.

Today's water quality problems are often caused by many different and diffuse sources and individual practices. Addressing these complex pollution problems demands an approach grounded in sound science, innovative solutions, broad public involvement, and adaptive management. About a decade ago, EPA embraced the watershed approach as a better way to address water quality problems. This approach focuses multi-stakeholder and multi-program efforts within hydrologically defined boundaries to protect and restore our aquatic resources and ecosystems. In addition to implementing core programs on a watershed basis, as described above, acceleration of watershed protection can be accomplished by working in two key areas:

-- support local watershed protection efforts; and
-- initiate or strengthen watershed protection for critical watersheds/waterbodies.

Over the past decade, EPA has witnessed a groundswell of locally-driven watershed protection and restoration efforts, including stronger local partnerships and increased local capacity. In many communities, watershed stakeholders such as citizen groups, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and businesses have come together and created long-term goals and innovative solutions to clean up their watersheds and promote more sustainable uses of their water resources. EPA estimates that there are approximately 6,000 local watershed groups active nationwide, and many of these local groups are responsible for dramatic water quality improvements in their communities through collaborative efforts.
EPA is developing national tools, training, and technical assistance that will help community partnerships be more effective at improving watershed health. Many local watershed partnerships need help to develop the skills necessary to set challenging but realistic goals, build local capacity, and develop financial resources. EPA also helps local groups design watershed monitoring, assessments, plans, and implementation measures to achieve clean water. EPA recognizes that land use decisions affecting water quality generally occur at the local government level and that inter-jurisdictional coordination and local partnerships provide a strong foundation for watershed protection. EPA provides tools and guidance to foster these efforts.
The National Water Program has sustained and positive experience with using a watershed protection approach to supplement core programs in key watersheds. At the largest scale, EPA operates successful programs addressing the Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico. Other individual watershed initiatives have helped prove the value of watershed protection processes (e.g. Lake Champlain, Long Island Sound, National Estuary Program watersheds). Each of these projects provides strong evidence of the value of a comprehensive approach to assessing water quality, defining problems, integrating management of diverse pollution control, and defining financing of needed projects.

For FY 2005, EPA will expand support for protection of key watersheds by building on the success of the Watershed Initiative (now called the Targeted Watershed Grants Program). In 2003, the Agency awarded $15 million in grants to 20 local watershed-based organizations and expects to fund an additional 20 organizations in FY04. In the Fiscal Year 2005 budget request, the Administration is requesting that funding for this Program be expanded to $25 million, $10 million of which will be directed to help address nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. EPA has a goal of supporting 100 watershed projects under this effort by 2008 with a target of an additional 20 watershed grants in FY 2005 (see Program Activity Measure #50).

In addition, in FY 2005, new grant guidelines for the Section 319 program (discussed above) reserve $100 million for developing and implementing comprehensive watershed plans that are to restore impaired waters on a watershed basis while protecting good quality waters. EPA has a goal of supporting several hundred watershed plans over the next five years and expects that 50 of these watershed plans will be substantially implemented by 2008 addressing some 5,000 water miles/acres (see Program Activity Measure #49). EPA will also monitor the number of plans that have been developed and the number that are being implemented (see Program Activity Measures #48).

EPA will also work to develop partnerships with other Federal agencies to encourage their participation in watershed protection and to promote delivery of their programs on a watershed basis. For example, the Department of Agriculture can make important contributions to watershed protection and EPA will work with USDA to promote coordinated use of Federal resources, including grants under section 319 and Farm Bill funds.

In addition to national level support for watershed protection, each EPA Region plays an important role in defining watershed needs and supporting watershed protection activities and projects. Some Regions use funds provided under the Regional Geographic Initiative to support watershed protection. In other Regions, special appropriations by the Congress provide support of specific watershed protection projects. Regions should also encourage States to develop watershed-based proposals for grants from the new State/Tribal Performance Fund proposed in the President's Budget ($23 million in FY 05) to support projects that directly support attaining environmental outcomes. Water activities will receive a significant portion of these funds.

3) Apply an Adaptive Management Framework:

Protecting water quality at a watershed level is a new challenge at the Federal, State and local level. The best way to achieve progress in improving and protecting waters and watersheds is by applying an adaptive management approach at the outset to better understand the problems, set challenging but realistic goals, and address opportunities associated with developing programs and building partnerships at the watershed level. Over the next five years, EPA expects to use this adaptive management framework to manage both core programs and watershed protection activities in order to accomplish the five year goals for watershed and water quality improvement expressed in the Strategic Plan. Without this adaptive management process, progress toward measurable improvements in the Nation's waters will occur in a haphazard and unpredictable manner.

EPA recognizes that each EPA Region and each State needs to identify the mix of watershed approaches that best suits its needs. Regional Plans developed in each EPA Region should describe the watershed approach to be implemented in that Region. Regardless of the specific mix of watershed approaches adopted, however, each Region and State should commit to accelerating implementation of core programs on a watershed basis, expanding support for local watershed protection, and expanding watershed protection in key watersheds.

In the same way that each Region should work with States to define the best mix of watershed approaches, Regions and States should also work together to define the extent to which implementation of watershed approaches should be accelerated over the next five years. In defining the rate of acceleration of watershed approaches, Regions and States should use the watershed/waterbody restoration and improvement goals for 2008 in the EPA Strategic Plan as a point of reference while taking into account the extent of pollution problems and the restoration work already underway.

Table IV below provides a summary of national goals for watershed improvement with preliminary estimates of Regional contributions to the goals for FY 2005 and 2008.

TABLE IV: Water Segment/Watershed Restoration by Region/Nation
Region	Impaired Water Segments Identified in 2000 (303(d) listed waters)	Goals for Impaired Waters to Attain Stds 2005/ 2012	Total No. of Watersheds (8 digit HUC)	Watersheds with >80% of Assessed Segments Meeting Standards in 2002	Watersheds with < 80% of Assessed Segments Meeting Standards in 2002	Goals for Additional Watersheds with >80% Assessed Segments Meeting Standards 2005/2008	Goal for Watersheds to Show Improvem'tin 08
1	1,909	38/477	56	9	47	2/4	5
2	1,866	37/467	58	5	53	4*/6*	5
3	3,321	66/830	108	24	84	3/7	10
4	3,808	76/952	278	89	189	6/15	25
5	2,761	55/690	252	29	223	7/18	22
6	1,241	25/310	366	131	235	1*/5*	32
7	1,555	50*/389	202	18	184	1*/4*	18
8	1,075	22/269	337	113	224	7/18	30
9	673	13/168	263	19	244	2*/5*	23
10	3,423	68/856	338	16	322	1*/26	30
Totals	21,632	450/5408	2,258	453	1,805	34/108	200
National 05/08 Goals	na	2005=432 2012 = 5408	na	na	na	2005=47 2008=147	200

{Numbers with * represent estimates provided by the Region after preliminary analysis. Other 05/08 projections are straight-line increments based on regional proportion of water segments/watersheds; projections will change as Regions complete negotiations with States.}

FY 2005 is the first year in the adaptive management process and EPA recognizes that many Regions and States are in the process of organizing information on a watershed basis and will be making estimates of watershed and waterbody improvement for the first time. Given these conditions, EPA expects to follow the process outlined below:

– EPA Regions and States should review basic water quality information on a watershed basis and consider the watershed/waterbody improvements likely to result from core programs and existing watershed protection efforts.

– Regions should work with States to review the estimates presented in Table IV and determine the extent to which core programs/existing watershed work is likely to accomplish these preliminary estimates of watershed and water quality improvements in 2005 and 2008.

In cases where these existing efforts are not expected to meet or exceed the preliminary estimates of improvement, Regions and States should identify steps to accelerate core program implementation, but especially watershed protection efforts, that are most likely to accomplish the projected improvements in 2005 and 2008.

Where Regions and States determine that their best efforts to implement core programs and an accelerated effort for watershed protection will not result in accomplishment of the projected improvement, Regions should develop revised estimates of progress, including a description of the core program and accelerated watershed activities to be implemented to accomplish the revised estimates. Regions should describe key factors that influenced their estimates. Where necessary, Program Activity Measure targets may be adjusted to reflect estimates.

– EPA will review estimates from each Region and evaluate the extent to which Regional estimates of progress will result in accomplishment of the national goals for watershed and waterbody improvement in FY 2005 and 2008. Based on this assessment, EPA will work with Regions and States to define strategies to meet or exceed the national improvement goals.

– Each Region should have an initial assessment of its contributions to meeting watershed and waterbody goals prior to the beginning of FY 2005.

The overall Agency process for Regional discussions with States leading to finalization of workplans for FY 2005 in the Fall of 2004 provides a general framework for this process. Region/States preliminary discussions are to occur in the Spring and draft commitments are to be defined by July 1st and entered into an integrated commitment management system. After any issues are resolved in July and August, final commitments are established by September 1st. In each subsequent year, estimates will be revised in an adaptive management process.

top

C) Key Regional Strategies

In addition to the national strategy described above, several Regions have developed innovative approaches to improving water quality and watershed health.

In EPA Region 2, EPA is working with local governments to support projects that pilot a Smart Growth Index model and making Livibility Grants that promote smart growth and protect water qualtity by reducing runoff from urban and suburban development.

In EPA Region 3, the water program has formed a partnership with the Brownfields program and the Region's Land Reuse program to promote more cost-effective and sustainable approaches to storm water and wastewater management. Region 3 is also working with Corps of Engineers and the Superfund program in an Urban Rivers Initiative to restore the Elizabeth River in Virginia and the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding watersheds.

EPA Region 5 has established with the States a goal of establishing comparable bio-assessment programs and bio-criteria throughout the Region in order to directly measure the biological health of aquatic resources.

EPA Region 8 has invested in the development of watershed organizations that support and participate in the development of watershed plans. EPA also provides funds to support statewide watershed "umbrella" organizations in Montana and Colorado that provide a forum for watershed group networking and support. Utah is beginning such an organization.

EPA Region 10 has developed regional guidance for temperature in streams and rivers. Temperature is a critical environmental condition in waters of the Northwest and relates to the listing of salmon under the Endangered Species Act.

top

D) Grant Program Resources

Key program grants that support this subobjective are:

-- the section106 State program support grants and Tribal program support grants;
-- the section 319 State program grant, including set-aside for Tribal programs;
-- Targeted Watershed Assistance grants;
-- Water Quality Cooperative Agreement grants (section 104(b));
-- Wastewater Operator Training grants;
-- Alaska Native Village Water and Wastewater Infrastructure grants;
-- Clean Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grants, including set-asides for planning under section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act and for grants to Tribes for wastewater treatment infrastructure.

For additional information concerning these grants, see below

Finally, EPA works with other Federal agencies to focus other grants funds to address water quality needs, including the US Department of Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and others.

top

5) Protect Coastal and Ocean Waters

Estuaries and coastal waters are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing numerous ecological, economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits and services. They are also among the most threatened ecosystems, largely as a result of rapidly increasing growth and development. About half of the U.S. population now lives in coastal areas and coastal counties are growing three times faster than counties elsewhere in the Nation. Overuse of resources and poor land use practices have resulted in a host of human health and natural resource problems.

top

A) Environmental/Health Results Expected

Environmental results identified in the new EPA Strategic Plan related to protecting coastal and ocean waters are:

1) Improve national and regional coastal aquatic ecosystem health on the "good/fair/poor" scale of the National Coastal Condition Report. (Rating is a 5-point system in which 1 is poor and 5 is good.

2002 Baseline: "fair/poor" or 2.4 2005 Target: 2.5 2008 Target: 2.6

2) Maintain water clarity and dissolved oxygen in coastal waters at the national levels reported in the 2002 National Coastal Condition Report.

2002 Baseline: 4.3 for water clarity; 4.5 for dissolved oxygen
2005: Maintain 2008: Maintain

3) Improve ratings reported on the national "good/fair/poor" scale of the National Coastal Condition Report for:

– Coastal wetlands loss:
2002 Baseline: 1.4 2005 Target: 1.5 2008 Target: 1.6

– Contamination of sediments:
2002 Baseline: 1.3 2005 Target: 1.4 2008 Target: 1.5

– Benthic quality:
2002 Baseline: 1.4 2005 Target: 1.5 2008 Target: 1.6

– Eutrophic conditions:
2002 Baseline: 1.7 2005 Target 1.8 2008 Target 1.9

4) Working with National Estuary Program partners, protect or restore additional acres of habitat within the study areas for the 28 estuaries that are part of the NEP.

2002 Baseline: 0 acres restored 2005 Target: 25,000 2008: 250,000acres

top

B) Key National Strategies

For Fiscal Year 2005, EPA's national strategy for improving the condition of coastal and ocean waters will include key elements identified below.

• Implement the National Estuary Program;
• Reduce vessel discharges;
• Manage dredged material; and
• Manage non-indigenous invasive species.

  1) Implement the National Estuary Program
  
  The NEP, which provides inclusive, community-based planning and action at the watershed level, plays a critical role in conserving coastal and ocean resources. A top priority in FY 2005 is to continue supporting the efforts of all 28 NEP estuaries to implement their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans. A critical measure of success is the number of priority actions in these plans that have been initiated and the number that have been completed. EPA will create a baseline to track priority actions in 2004 and will track implementation of actions in 2005 and thereafter (see Program Activity Measure IV-NEP-1). EPA will also track the ratio of cumulative dollar amount of the resources leveraged by EPA grant funds (see Program Activity Measure IV-NEP-3).

  The health of the Nation's estuarine ecosystems also depends on the maintenance of high-quality habitat. Diminished and degraded habitats are less able to support healthy populations of wildlife and marine organisms and perform the economic, environmental, and aesthetic functions on which coastal populations depend for their livelihood. A key success in past years has been the restoration of over 500,000 acres of habitat over the past decade. For 2005, EPA has set a goal of protecting or restoring an additional 25,000 acres of habitat within the 28 study areas.

  Finally, EPA will work with National Estuary Programs in FY 2005 to improve information about conditions in the estuaries. EPA will develop a baseline report on the condition of National Estuary Program estuaries modeled after the National Coastal Condition Report to be issued in 2006 (see Program Activity Measure IV-NEP-2) and, by 2005, each program will have indicators in place to track environmental trends in the estuary (see Program Activity Measure IV-NEP-4).

  2) Reduce Vessel Discharges

  EPA will also focus on enhancing regulation of discharges of pollution from vessels. Key work for FY 2005 includes working to develop standards for cruise ships operating in Alaskan waters (see Program Activity Measure #80); cooperating with the Department of Defense to develop discharge standards for certain armed forces vessels; and assessing the effectiveness of current regulations for marine sanitation devices.

  3) Manage Dredged Material

  Several hundred million cubic yards of sediment are dredged from waterways, ports, and harbors every year to maintain the Nation's navigation system. All of this sediment must be disposed of safely. EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) share responsibility for regulating how and where the disposal of sediment occurs. EPA and COE will focus additional resources on improving how disposal of dredged material is managed, including evaluating disposal sites, designating and monitoring the sites, and reviewing and concurring on the disposal permits issued by COE (see Program Activity Measures #74 and #75).

  4) Manage Invasive Species

  One of the greatest threats to U.S. waters and ecosystems is the uncontrolled spread of invasive species. Invasive species commonly enter U.S. waters through the discharge of ballast water from ships. In FY 2005, EPA will assist the U.S. Coast Guard in its efforts to develop ballast water exchange requirements and discharge standards and is addressing this issue at the international level (see Program Activity Measures #77, #78, and #79). In addition, EPA is working to develop improved measures for monitoring the rate of increase of invasive species.

top

C) Key Regional Strategies

Progress in protecting and restoring coastal waters is also directly tied to geographically focused projects, such as the Chesapeake Bay Program and the Gulf of Mexico Program, addressed in other parts of this Guidance. In addition to the national strategy described above, several Regions have developed innovative approaches to improving the condition of coastal and ocean waters; several examples are provided below.

In EPA New England, EPA is supporting the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, established by the Governors of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts to foster cooperative actions to enhance the quality of the Gulf and its watershed. EPA New England is also working with States and marine industries to establish no discharge areas for marine waters.

In Region 2, the water program and the Superfund program are working together to develop sediment decontamination demonstration projects at several sites including NY/NJ Harbor and the Passaic River.

In Region 4, EPA is working with States to develop numeric nutrient criteria to protect coastal waters.

Region 9 is working to conserve coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean. The Region is supporting the US Coral Reef Task Force, giving priority to protection of coral reefs from land-based sources. The Region is also working with local and Federal partners to support local action strategies in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands to reduce pollution sources, advance monitoring programs to assess the health of reefs, and develop outreach strategies.

top

D) Grant Program Resources

Grant resources directly supporting this work include the National Estuary Program grants and coastal non-point pollution control grants under the Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program administered jointly by EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (section 6217 grant program). In addition, clean water program grants identified under the watershed subobjective support this work. For more information, see the grant guidance below.

top

6) Protect Wetlands

Wetlands are among our Nation's most critical and productive natural resources. They provide a variety of benefits, such as water quality improvements, flood protection, shoreline erosion control, and ground water exchange. Wetlands are the primary habitat for fish, waterfowl, and wildlife, and as such, provide numerous opportunities for education, recreation, and research. EPA recognizes that the challenges the Nation faces to conserve our wetland heritage are daunting and that many partners must work together for this effort to succeed.

top

A) Environmental/Health Results Expected

Environmental and public health results identified in the new EPA Strategic Plan related to protection of wetlands are:

1) Working with partners, achieve a net increase of acres of wetlands with additional focus on biological and functional measures.

2002 Baseline: annual net loss of an estimated 58,500 acres.

2005 Target: 100,000 2008 Target: 400,000

2) Annually, beginning in FY 2004, work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and other partners to achieve no net loss of wetlands under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act regulatory program.

2005 Target: no net loss 2008 Target: no net loss

top

B) Key National Strategies

EPA's national strategy for meeting wetland goals in FY 2005 is described below.

-- Net Gain Goal: Meeting the "net gain" element of the wetland goal will be accomplished by other Federal programs (Farm Bill agriculture incentive programs and wetlands acquisition and restoration programs, including those administered by Fish and Wildlife Service) and non-federal programs.

EPA contributes to achieving no overall net loss in EPA's regulatory programs, including the Clean Water Act Section 404/401 permit review, compliance and enforcement, and other programs, such as Section 402 and Section 311. EPA also supports State, tribal and other partners to protect and restore wetlands and builds capacity to use wetland function to supplement and enrich reliance on acreage indicators.

In implementing these responsibilities, each Region will identify watersheds where wetlands and other aquatic resources are most at risk, including from cumulative impacts. EPA will improve levels of protection through actions that include: working with and integrating wetlands protection into other EPA programs such as Clean Water Act Section 319, State Revolving Fund, National Estuary Program, and Brownfields; working with the Corps and/or States on permitting and mitigation compliance; providing grants and technical assistance to State, tribal or local organizations; and developing information, education and outreach tools (see Program Activity Measures IV-WD-1,-2, and 3).

-- No Net Loss: Building upon the analysis of existing mitigation data base systems, the Corps, EPA, USDA, DOI, and NOAA will establish a shared mitigation database by FY05. Utilizing the shared database, the Corps, in conjunction with EPA, USDA, DOI, and NOAA, will provide an annual public report card on compensatory mitigation to complement reporting of other wetlands programs by FY 2005. To help ensure no net loss of aquatic resources the Corps has initiated six new performance measures designed to improve permitting and mitigation compliance, including compliance inspections and audits, and resolution of enforcement actions.

EPA will work with the COE to ensure application of the 404(b)(1) guidelines which require that discharges into waters of the U.S. be avoided and minimized to the extent practicable. Each Region will also identify opportunities to partner with the Corps in meeting performance measures for compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts. These may include participation in joint impact and mitigation site inspections, participation on Mitigation Bank Review Team activities, assistance on development of mitigation site performance standards and monitoring protocols, and enhanced coordination on resolution of enforcement cases (see Program Activity Measure IV-WD-4).

-- Wetland Monitoring: By 2008, EPA expects that wetland condition will have improved in 5 States as defined through biological metrics and assessments. Improvements in monitoring science and techniques and broader application of these wetland monitoring practices by States, Tribes, and local organizations will improve assessments of wetlands health and extent, and provide for more accurate and timely tracking of wetlands gains and losses (see Program Activity Measure IV-WD-5).

top

C) Key Regional Strategies

Progress in protecting and restoring wetlands is also directly tied to geographically focused projects, such as South Florida Everglades Restoration and in Louisiana.

In addition to the national strategy described above, several Regions have developed innovative approaches to improving the condition of wetlands and other aquatic resources; several examples are provided below.

Region 3 will conduct seminars to transportation community and other regulated sectors before construction activities to reduce impacts on wetlands.

Region 4 and 6 will assist in Louisiana's Coastal 2050 to restore coastal wetlands to reduce nitrate load. The strategy is to create and implement a wetland based, nitrogen system (EPA Nitrogen Farming study).

Region 5 will work with partners to create a current baseline of wetland data (GIS, Assessment, Monitoring).

Region 9 will identify priority waters and increase collaboration between storm water and wetlands programs.

top

D) Grant Program Resources

Examples of grant resources supporting this work include the Wetland Program Development Grants, the Clean Water Act Section 319 Grants, the Brownfields grants, and the National Estuary Program Grants. For additional information concerning these grants see below.

top

7) Protect Mexico Border Water Quality

The United States and Mexico have a long-standing commitment to protect the environment and public health in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region. The U.S.-Mexico Border 2012 Program, a joint effort between the U.S. and Mexican governments, will work with the 10 border States and with border communities to improve the region's environmental health.

top

A) Environmental/Health Results Expected

Environmental and public health results identified in the new EPA Strategic Plan related to water quality along the Mexico Border are:

1) Achieve water quality standards currently being exceeded in shared and transboundary waters where standards currently being exceeded:

2002 Baseline: na 2005 Target: na 2008 Target: >50%

2) Protect the health of people in the Mexico border area by providing adequate water and wastewater sanitation systems funded through the Border Environmental Infrastructure Fund:

2002 baseline: 790,000 persons provided access 2005: 1.5 million

top

B) Key Strategies

The basic approach to improving the environment and public health in the U.S. Mexico Border Region is the Border 2012 Plan. Under this Plan, EPA expects to take the following key Actions to improve water quality and protect public health.

1) Core Program Implemetation: EPA will continue to implement core programs under the Clean Water Act and related authorities, ranging from discharge permit issuance, to watershed restoration, to nonpoint pollution control.

2) Wastewater Treatment Financing: Federal, State, and local institutions participate in border area efforts to improve water quality through the construction of infrastructure and development of pretreatment programs. Specifically, Mexico's National Water Commission (CNA) and EPA provide funding and technical assistance for project planning and construction of infrastructure.

Congress has provided $675 million for Border infrastructure from 1995 to 2003. The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) also provided assistance and coordination in the development of infrastructure facilities. For FY 2004 and 2005, EPA expects to be able to provide funding of $50 million per year for these projects.

This funding level will support significant project implementation, but will not be adequate to meet the targets for access to basic sanitation. EPA will continue working with all its partners to leverage available resources to meet priority needs.

3) Build Partnerships: Partnerships are critical to the success of efforts to improve the environment and public health in the Border Region.

Since 1995, the NAFTA-created institutions, the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) and the North American Development Bank (NADB), have had the primary role in working with communities to develop and construct infrastructure projects. BECC supports efforts to evaluate, plan, and implement financially and operationally sustainable water and wastewater projects; NADB helps project sponsors develop the appropriate financial package. EPA will continue to support these institutions.

In FY 2005, EPA will establish a workgroup with Mexico to develop a workplan to define specific steps needed to accomplish the water quality improvement goals expressed in the Border 2012 Plan.

4) Improve Measures of Progress: During FY 2005, EPA will work with Mexico. States, Tribe and other institutions to improve measures of progress toward water quality and public health goals.

top

C) Grant Program Resources

Although a range of national program grants are used by States to implement core programs in the U.S. Mexico Border Region, there is no program grant dedicated to the Region. Allocations of the funding available for infrastructure projects are not provided through guidance, but through the cooperative processes of the applicable financing authorities (e.g., NADB, BECC).

top

8) Protect the Great Lakes

As the largest freshwater system on the face of the earth, the Great Lakes ecosystem holds the key to the quality of life and economic prosperity for tens of millions of people. While significant progress has been made to restore the environmental health of the Great Lakes, much work remains to be done.

top

A) Environmental/Health Results Expected

Environmental and public health results identified in the new EPA Strategic Plan related to the Great Lakes are:

1) Prevent water pollution and improve the overall aquatic ecosystem health of the Great Lakes using the Great Lakes 40-point scale:

2002 Baseline: 20 points 2005 Target: 21 2008 Target: 22

2) Reduce the average concentrations of PCBs in whole lake trout and walleye samples will decline from 2000 levels:

2005 Target: 5% decline 2007 Target: 25%

3) Reduce the average concentrations of toxic chemicals in the air in the Great Lakes basin from 2000 levels:

2005 Target: 7% decline 2008 Target: 30%

4) Restore and delist Areas of Concern within the Great Lakes basin:

2002 Baseline: 0 AOCs restored 2005 Target: 3 2010 Target: 10

5) Remediate cubic yards of contaminated sediment in the Great Lakes:

2002 Baseline: 2.1 million 2005 Target: 2.9 2008 Target: 3.3

top

B) Key Strategies

Efforts to restore and protect the Great Lakes in the 2004 - 2008 period will be focused on implementation of the Great Lakes Strategy developed in 2002 by the U.S. Policy Committee – a forum of senior-level representatives from the Federal, State, and tribal agencies responsible for environmental and natural resources management of the Great Lakes (see http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/gls/index.html).

The Strategy is designed to help coordinate and streamline efforts of the many governmental partners involved with protecting the Great Lakes. It focuses on multi-Lake and basin-wide environmental issues and establishes common goals. It supports existing efforts underway, including Lakewide Management Plans and Remedial Action Plans for Areas of Concern, by addressing issues that are beyond the scope of these programs and helping integrate them into an overall basinwide context. It also advances the implementation of the United States' responsibilities under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of l987.

In FY 2005, EPA Region 5, and the Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) will work with States in the Great Lakes area to implement the Great Lakes Strategy, giving special attention to work in the following four key areas:

-- implementing core clean water programs;
-- implementing the Great Lakes Legacy Act with significantly expanded funding;
-- implementing expanded beach safety programs; and
-- addressing emerging issues, including a "dead zone" in Lake Erie and invasive species.

Each of these four key areas is briefly described below.

1. Core Clean Water Programs:

The core programs under the Clean Water Act provide a foundation of water pollution control that is critical to the success of efforts to restore and protect the Great Lakes. While the Great Lakes face a range of unique pollution problems (extensive sediment contamination) they also face problem common to most other waterbodies around the country. Effective implementation of core programs such as discharge permits, nonpoint pollution controls, wastewater treatment and wetlands protection must be fully and effectively implemented throughout the Great Lakes Basin.

EPA Region 5 and the six States worked closely to develop a set of five shared environmental goals to enhance joint efforts to protect and restore valuable water resources and measure accomplishments. These goals will be used to more comprehensively report on the progress in, and status of, improving water quality in the Great Lakes Region. These goals will assist EPA and Illinois in joint priority setting and planning to more effectively target programmatic work. The shared goals are:

Goal 1: All waters in Region 5 will support healthy aquatic biological communities;
Goal 2: All waters in Region 5 will support fish populations with safe levels of contaminants;
Goal 3: Designated swimming waters in Region 5 will be swimmable;
Goal 4: All people in Region 5 served by public water systems will have water that is consistently safe to drink; and
Goal 5: The quantity and quality of critical aquatic habitat in Region 5, including wetlands, will be maintained or improved.

In addition, for the Great Lakes Basin, EPA will focus in FY 2005 on two key measures of core program implementation -- improving the quality of major discharge permits and implementing the national Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Policy. In the case of discharge permits, EPA has a goal of assuring that 100% of the major, permitted discharges to the Lakes or major tributaries have permits that reflect the most current standards by 2008. This is an increase from the 2002 baseline of about 37%. The FY 2005 target for this measure is 40% [additional Regional input to come]) of permits (see Program Activity Measure IV-GL-1). In the case of the CSO Policy, EPA has a goal of 100% of permits being consistent with the Policy. The 2002 baseline is 83% of permits consistent with the Policy and the FY 2005 target is 90% [additional regional input to come] of permits (see Program Activity Measure IV-GL-3).

2. Great Lakes Legacy Act:

Restoration of contaminated sediments around the Great Lakes is a critical step toward meeting water quality goals. In FY 2005, the Administration has proposed to increase funding under the Great Lakes Legacy Act from $10 million to $45 million, in order to expedite work to address contaminated sediment. EPA has set a goal of completing not less than three sediment remedial actions each year (see Program Activity Measure # IV-GL-2). This goal may be expanded in the event that Congress provides the additional funding requested.

3. Implementing Expanded Beach Safety Programs:

Making recreational waters of the Great Lakes Safe for Swimming is a common theme of the Great Lakes 2002 Strategy, the EPA Strategic Plan, and Region 5's Shared Goals.

In FY 2005, EPA will work with States to both improve the State water quality standards for bacteria in recreational waters and to implement the BEACH Act (see section 3 of this Guidance). EPA has goals of assuring that all States have adopted criteria for bacteria that are at least as protective as EPA Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria (see Program Activity Measure IV-GL-4) and that 95% of high priority beaches around the Great Lakes are served by water quality monitoring and public notification programs consistent with the BEACH Act guidance (see Program Activity Measure IV-GL-5).

4. Address Emerging Issues:

During FY 2005, EPA will work with Great Lakes States to gather information and develop proposed response actions concerning high levels of phosphorus in Lake Erie and the spread of invasive species throughout the Great Lakes Basin.

top

C) Grant Program Resources:

The Great Lakes National Program Office issues an annual Funding Guidance, soliciting projects furthering protection and clean up of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Priorities are expected to include Contaminated Sediments, Pollution Prevention and Toxics Reduction, Habitat (Ecological) Protection and Restoration, Invasive Species, Strategic or Emerging Issues, and specific Lakewide Management Plan or Remedial Action Plan (LaMP/RAP) Priorities (see: http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/fund/). Additional information concerning these grants is found below.

Great Lakes website

top

9) Protect and Restore the Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and a water resource of tremendous ecological and economic importance. For over twenty years, efforts to protect and restore the Bay have been led by the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council—Bay area governors, the mayor of the District of Columbia; the EPA Administrator, and the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative body. This unique regional partnership has defined environmental improvements needed in the Bay and developed a strategy that blends regulatory and voluntary processes.

top

A) Environmental and Health Results Expected

One of the key measure of success in achieving improved Chesapeake Bay water quality will be the restoration of submerged aquatic vegetation. To achieve improved water quality needed to restore submerged aquatic vegetation, the Chesapeake Bay Program partners committed to reducing nutrient and sediment pollution loads sufficiently to remove the Bay and the tidal portions of its tributaries from the list of impaired waters (see measures below). Additional information concerning these goals is available on the Web at www.chesapeakebay.net/status.cfm?sid=88 and www.chesapeakebay.net/status.cfm?sid=186

1) Prevent water pollution and protect aquatic systems so that overall aquatic system health of the Chesapeake Bay is improved and acres of submerged aquatic vegetation increase.

2002 Baseline: 85,252 acres By 2005: 91,000 By 2008: 120,000

2) Reduction in number of pounds of nitrogen entering the Bay each year from 1985 levels:

2002 Baseline: 51 million lb. By 2005: 74 By 2008: 94

3) Reduction in number of pounds of phosphorus entering the Bay each year from 1985 levels:

2002 Baseline: 8 million lb. By 2005: 8.7 By 2008: 9.7

4) Reduction in number of tons of sediment entering the Bay each year from 1985 levels:

2002 Baseline: 0.8 million tons By 2005: 1.06 By 2008: 1.37

top

B) Key Strategies

EPA and Bay area States have agreed to an approach to meeting restoration goals for Chesapeake Bay including the following key actions for FY 2005:

-- develop and implement pollution reduction strategies on a watershed basis;
-- fully implement base clean water programs in the Bay watershed; and
-- implement recommendations of expert panel on funding options.

1) Pollution Reduction Strategies

In 2004, States will develop pollution reduction strategies for each of the watersheds within the larger Bay watershed. These strategies are to define specific, localized approaches to meeting new State water quality standards and to restoring impaired waters by the year 2010. Although each strategy will describe a series of steps specifically designed for that watershed, most strategies will include the following measures:

– Implement advanced treatment at sewage treatment plants (see Program Activity Measure IV-CB-1 providing for an increase in the percentage of wastewater flow to the Bay treated by Biological Nitrogen Removal increase from a 2002 baseline of 48% to 60% in FY 05 and 69% by 2008);

– Reduce nutrients and sediments from farms through effective implementation of voluntary programs for the reduction of nonpoint sources of pollution and issuance of permits for confined animal feeding operations;

– Expand the number of streamside forest buffers (see Program Activity Measure IV-CB-2 providing for an increase in the miles of forest buffers from a 2002 baseline of 1,298 to 4,000 in FY 05, to 7,000 in 2008);

– Develop innovative approaches for watershed scale management of water quality such as watershed permits that support pollution trading and promote state-of-the-art technologies.

For FY 2005, EPA has requested new funding of $10 million to be used for targeted grants to support watershed protection in the Chesapeake Bay area.

2) Core Programs in the Bay Area

In addition to new watershed-specific strategies, EPA and State partners will continue to implement core clean water programs that are essential to maintaining past progress in improving the health of the Bay. For example, Bay area States will continue to provide low interest loans for the financing of sewage treatment systems, will continue to implement comprehensive, statewide programs for reducing nonpoint sources of pollution, and implement the discharge permit program with respect to discharges from storm water facilities, confined animal feeding operations, sewage treatment plans and combined sewer overflows.

3) Implement Financing Recommendations of Expert Panel

In January 2003, the Chesapeake Bay Commission published the results of a study estimating the costs of achieving the commitments contained in the Chesapeake 2000 agreement. The cost of achieving the water quality improvement commitments alone is estimated to be $11.5 billion over ten years. Level funding via existing revenues sources adds up to only $2.1 billion, leaving a $9.4 billion funding gap. A Blue Ribbon Panel was established in early 2004 to consider funding sources and make recommendations for financing of watershed strategies. The report of the Panel is expected in October of 2004 and in FY 2005, EPA will work with the Commission and other partners to implement the report recommendations.

top

C) Grant Program Resources

Grant resources supporting this goal include the range of grant program identified under the watershed subobjective as well as new funding of $10 within the Targeted Watershed Assistance Grant Program reserved for Chesapeake Bay. For additional information concerning these grants, see below.

top

10) Protect the Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico basin has been called "America's Watershed." Its U.S. coastline is 1,630 miles, it is fed by thirty-three major rivers, and it receives drainage from 31 States in addition to a similar drainage area from Mexico. One sixth of the U.S. population now lives in Gulf Coast States, and the Region is experiencing remarkably rapid population growth. In addition, the Gulf yields approximately forty percent of the Nation's commercial fishery landings. Gulf Coast wetlands comprise about half the national total and provide critical habitat for seventy-five percent of the migratory waterfowl traversing the United States.

A) Environmental/Health Results Expected

Environmental and public health results identified in the new EPA Strategic Plan related to the Gulf of Mexico are:

1) Prevent water pollution and improve the overall aquatic ecosystem health of coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico by 0.2 on the "good/fair/poor" scale of the National Coastal Condition Report, a 5-point system in which 1 is poor and 5 is good:

2002 Baseline: fair/poor or 1.9 2005 Target: 2.0 2008 Target: 2.1

2) Reduce releases of nutrients throughout the Mississippi River Basin to reduce the size of the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico:

Baseline: 1996-2000 running average size is 14,128 km2, 2015 Target: less than 5,000 km2

top

B) Key Strategies

For FY 2005, EPA has worked with States and other partners to define key activities to support attainment of environmental and health goals. These activities fall into three categories:

– implementation of core clean water programs, in support of both the environmental goal for the Gulf of Mexico and in support of actions in the Mississippi Basin that help reduce Gulf hypoxia;

– activities that support meeting water quality and habitat restoration goals for the Gulf; and

– activities specifically focused on the Mississippi Basin that are designed to reduce the size of the Hypoxic Zone in the Gulf.

1) Core Clean Water Programs:

The Clean Water Act provides authority and resources that are essential to protecting water quality in the Gulf of Mexico and in the larger Mississippi River Basin that contributes pollution, especially oxygen demanding nutrients, to the Gulf. EPA Regions and the Gulf of Mexico Program Office will work with States to assure the continued effective implementation of core clean water programs, ranging from discharge permits, to nonpoint pollution controls, to wastewater treatment, to protection of wetlands.

In addition, the Gulf of Mexico Program Office has a long-standing commitment to development of effective partnerships with other programs within EPA, in other Federal agencies, and with other organizations. For example, the Program Office is working with the EPA Office of Research and Development and other Federal agencies to develop and implement a coastal monitoring program to better assess the condition of Gulf waters. The Program Office is working closely with the US Department of Agriculture to coordinate allocation of technical assistance and funding to priority geographic areas around the Gulf. EPA is also working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, environmental organizations, the Gulf of Mexico foundation, and area universities to identify and restore critical habitat.

2) Protecting and Restoring the Gulf of Mexico:

A central pillar of the strategy to restore the health of the Gulf is restoration of water quality and habitat in 12 priority coastal watersheds. These 12 watersheds include 354 of the impaired segments identified by States around the Gulf and will receive targeted technical and financial assistance to restore impaired waters. The 2008 goal is to fully attain water quality standards in at least 20% of these segments (see Program Activity Measure IV-GM-1) with a 2005 restoration goal of 28 segments.

Another key element of the strategy for improving the water quality in the Gulf is to restore, enhance or protect a significant number of acres of coastal and marine habitat. The overall wetland loss in the Gulf area is on the order of 50 percent and protection of the critical habitat that remains is essential to the health of the Gulf aquatic system. EPA has a goal of restoring 20,000 acres of habitat by 2008, with a FY 2005 interim goal of 11,000 acres (see Program Activity Measure IV-GM-2).

Another priority for the Gulf of Mexico Program Office is to work with States and other Federal agencies to reduce the rate of shellfish-borne Vibrio vulnificus illnesses caused by consumption of commercially harvested oysters (see Program Activity Measures IV-GM-4). Over a recent ten year period, the Centers for Disease Control identified over 200 serious illnesses from Vibrio resulting in 105 deaths. EPA will support efforts to improve education about proper cooking of oysters and the dangers of eating raw oysters. EPA will also support work to identify economically viable post-harvest treatment technologies. EPA has a goal of reducing the rate of illness from .303 per million consumers to .121 per million by 2008.

3) Reducing the Size of the Hypoxic Zone:

Any strategy to improve the overall health of the entire Gulf of Mexico must include a focused effort to reduce the size of the zone of hypoxic conditions (i.e. low oxygen in the water) in the northern Gulf. Actions to address this problem will need to focus on both localized addition of pollution to the Gulf and on the loadings of nutrients from the Mississippi River.

EPA, in cooperation with States and other Federal Agencies, developed an Hypoxia Action Plan for the Gulf. This Plan includes the long term target of reducing the size of the hypoxic zone from about 14,000 Km2 to less than 5,000 Km2 measured as a five year rolling average and calls for a 30% reduction in nitrogen loadings to the Gulf. In working to accomplish this goal, EPA and other Federal agencies will continue implementation of core clean water programs and partnerships among agencies; specific efforts in FY 2005 will include:

-- EPA will work with States to select a project watershed in each of the States in the Lower Mississippi River Basin to reduce nitrogen loadings to the lower Mississippi River. Reducing these loadings from the lower portions of the River is especially important for improving oxygen levels.

-- EPA will work with States and other partners to identify "100 Highest Opportunity Watersheds" where nitrogen reduction strategies will be implemented on a cooperative basis.

-- EPA will use 25% of funds available for the Targeted Watershed Initiative to support nitrogen reduction in the Mississippi River Basin, with a special emphasis on support for innovative programs allowing trading of nutrient reductions among various sources in order to get the greatest reductions at the lowest cost.

-- EPA will implement the "Friends of the Gulf" award program to recognize corporations, organizations, or individuals that have taken effective, voluntary measures to reduce nutrient inputs to the Mississippi River and the Gulf.

-- EPA will work with the private sector to support Industry Led Solutions for reducing both point and nonpoint sources.

-- EPA will support Gulf States in their efforts to develop nutrient standards for estuaries and near coastal waters.

top

C) Grant Program Resources

The Gulf of Mexico Program issues an annual Funding Guidance soliciting projects that:

(1) support the restoration of impaired water bodies including coastal and marine habitat protection, restoration, and enhancement in priority coastal areas;

(2) Gulf-wide projects protecting public health or initiatives for monitoring and assessment, education, public outreach; and

(3) projects in the Lower Mississippi River or its tributaries to reduce nutrient loading.

Additional information concerning these grants is found below.

top

.WATER PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

This National Program Guidance document describes the general approaches that EPA, in consultation with States and Tribes, expects to be most effective in attaining the environmental and public health improvements identified in the new EPA Strategic Plan.

This Guidance, however, is part of a larger, three step management process:

– Step 1: Complete National Water Program Guidance (April of 2004);

– Step 2: EPA Region/State/Tribe Consultation/Planning: EPA Regions work with States and Tribes to develop FY 2005 Performance Partnership Agreements or other workplans, including commitments to reporting key activities and, in some cases, commitments to specific FY 2005 program output accomplishments (April - October); and

– Step 3: Program Evaluation and Adaptive Management: Evaluate program progress in 2005 and adapte water program management and priorities based on this assessment information (FY 2005).

Steps 2 and 3 of this program management system are discussed below.

top

1) EPA Region/State/Tribe Consultation/Planning (Step 2)

EPA Regions will work with States and Tribes beginning in April of 2004 to develop agreements concerning program priorities and commitments for FY 05. Although this process is like the annual planning processes that Regions, States and Tribes have following in past years, there are several key differences:

A) Strategic Plan/Regional Plan Foundation: Work planning processes for FY 2005 are to be organized using the goal structure of the new EPA Strategic Plan and are to be informed by the newly developed Regional Plans. Both the Strategic Plan and the Regional Plans address the same environmental and public health outcome measures and therefore provide a common "results" framework across EPA programs and within each EPA Region. Regional Plans further articulate strategies for accomplishing objectives and subobjectives that best fit that Region and also address Regional priorities not covered in the Strategic Plan.

B) Program Integration: More than in the past, EPA will be encouraging States and Tribes to use an integrated, cross-program approach to achieve environmental and public health results. Three key ways EPA is encouraging program integration are:

– Performance Partnership Agreements/Grants: EPA is encouraging States and Tribes to develop workplans on an integrated, cross-program basis, including development of integrated agreements and grants.

– "Bottom-up" Program Activity Commitment Process: This water program management process supports program integration because it frees Regions and States to make annual resource allocations among program areas based on the priorities understood by the Regions and States, rather than as a simple extrapolation of a national priority and allocation. These national priorities still need to be considered over the long run (i.e. 2008 targets), but the foundation of results-based strategies creates the opportunity to free Regional, State, and tribal planners to adapt program allocations to fit the most pressing needs in the short-term.

-- Integrated Measures Management: EPA is developing a new, internet based, online system to manage all EPA program measures developed to monitor program activities and commitments in FY 2005. This integrated system will give all parties the chance to look at program measures and commitments across EPA programs, across Regions, as well as nationally.

C) Translating Strategies into Annual Program Commitments: Over the past year, EPA has worked with States and Tribes to define a minimum number of measures that address the critical program activities that are expected to contribute to attainment of long-term goals. Some of these measures track activities carried out by EPA HQ or Regions while others address activities carried out by States and Tribes (see Appendix 1).

During the Spring/Summer of 2004, EPA Regions will work with States and Tribes to:

– reach agreement concerning periodic reporting (i.e. not less than mid- year/end-of-year) of key program activities including, at a minimum, the Program Activity Measures identified in Appendix 1; and

– for the subset of Program Activity Measures where an annual "target" is needed, develop FY 2005 commitments in light of these targets and reflect the commitments in annual workplans (Appendix 2 includes straw "targets" for each EPA Region along with a preliminary national target).

Regions are to use these straw targets as guidelines in discussions with States and Tribes and should convert these targets into State, tribal, and Regional "commitments" in draft form by July 1 and final form by September 1. The goal of this joint effort is to allocate available resources to those program activities that are likely to result in the best progress toward accomplishing water quality and public health goals for that State/Tribe (e.g. improved compliance with drinking water standards, improved water quality on a watershed basis). Regional straw targets in this Guidance are the starting point for discussions, but the more formal, State-specific commitments that result from workplan discussions are intended to reflect environmental and financial circumstances in each State and to supplant these straw targets. The tailored State/Tribal program commitments that result from this process will define, in an operational sense, the "strategy" for the National Water Program for FY 2005.

D) Linking Program Grants to Strategic Plan/Regional Plans: EPA is in the process of developing new requirements for clear definition of the link between a program grant and the Agency Strategic Plan. As part of this process, this National Program Guidance includes specific references to program grants that support each of the objectives and subobjectives in the EPA Strategic Plan.

The schedule for key steps in Step 2 of the program management process is:

Early April	Final National Program Guidance /FY 05 Targets
April - June	June Regions/States/Tribes Begin FY 05 Work Planning
July 1st	Regions/States/Tribes Complete DRAFT Commitments
September 1st	Final FY 05 Commitments; Implement New EPA On-line Commitment Mgt. System

top

2) Program Evaluation and Adaptive Management (Step 3)

As the strategies and programs described in this Guidance are implemented during FY 2005, EPA, States and Tribes will evaluate progress toward water goals and work to improve program performance by refining strategic approaches or adjusting program emphases.

The National Water Program will evaluate progress using three key tools:

A) HQ/Regional Dialogues: Each year, the Office of Water will visit 3-4 EPA Regional Offices and Great Waterbody Offices to conduct dialogues on program management and performance. These visits will include assessment of performance in the Region against the:

– objectives and subobjectives in the Strategic Plan;

– regional water issues identified in the Regional Plan; and

– annual State/tribal Program Activity Measure targets.

In addition, a key topic for the HQ/Regional dialogues will be identification of program innovations or "best practices" developed by the Region, States, Tribes, watershed organizations, and others. By highlighting best practices identified in HQ/Region dialogues, these practices can be described in water program performance reports and more widely adopted throughout the country.

B) Program-Specific Evaluations:

In addition to looking at the performance of the National Water Program at the national level and performance in each EPA Region, individual water programs will be evaluated periodically by EPA and by external parties.

EPA program evaluations include projects undertaken by the evaluation staff in the Office of Water and the continuing oversight and evaluation of State/tribal program implementation in key program areas (e.g. NPDES program). Evaluations of water programs by external parties include projects conducted by the EPA Inspector General, the Congressional General Accounting Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and the National Academy of Sciences.

EPA will develop an annual plan that identifies all the water program-specific evaluations that are expected to be underway in that year. The plan will be developed during the Spring/Summer for the fiscal year starting in October and will be provided to EPA Regions/States/Tribes and the public for comment. The plan will be a tool for avoiding duplication of evaluation projects, for prudent scheduling of evaluation projects, and for setting evaluation priorities based on input from other sources (e.g., Strategic Plan, HQ/Region dialogues).

C) National Water Program Performance Reports:

The Office of Water will prepare a performance report for the National Water Program at the mid-point in each fiscal year and the end of each fiscal year based on data provided by EPA HQ program offices, EPA Regions, States, and Tribes. These reports will give program managers an integrated analysis of:

– progress at the national level with respect to program activities and expected environmental and public health goals identified in the Strategic Plan and Regional plans;

– progress in each EPA Region with respect to the Strategic Plan, program activity measures, and the Regional Plan (including State/Region specific data);

– insights from recent HQ/Regional dialogues, including "best practices" identified from the work of the Region, States, or Tribes; and

– insights from recent program-specific evaluations, including internal and external evaluations.

The reports will include conclusions and recommended actions to improve program performance. In addition, the Office of Water will maintain program performance records over time and, to the extent possible, will use this information to identify long-term trends in program performance.

Improved program performance requires both a commitment to sustained program evaluation and a commitment to using program performance information to revise program management approaches. Some of the steps the Office of Water will take to improve the link between program assessment and program management include:

1) Communicate Performance Information to Program Managers: The Office of Water will use performance information to provide mid-year and annual program briefings to the Deputy Administrator and senior HQ water program managers. In addition, program performance reports will be provided at meetings of Water Division Directors twice a year. Mid-year and annual performance reports will also be provide to State organizations and Tribes.

2) Communicate Performance Information to Congress and the Public: The Office of Water will use performance assessment reports and findings to communicate program progress to other Federal agencies, the Office of Management and Budget, the Congress, and the public.

3) Link to Budget and Workforce Plans: The Office of Water will use performance assessment information in formulation of the annual budget and in development of workforce plans.

4) Promote Wide Dissemination of Best Practices: The Office of Water will actively promote the wide application of best practices and related program management innovations identified as part of program assessments. This may include expanded support of "peer to peer" networks among program managers and staff in EPA HQ, EPA Regions, States, and Tribes.

5) Expand Regional Office Participation in Program Assessment: The Office of Water will promote expanded involvement of Regional offices in program assessments and implementation of the assessment process. This effort will include expanded participation of the Lead Region in program assessment processes and inclusion of another Region in the HQ/Region dialogue meetings.

6) Strengthen Program Performance Assessment in Personnel Evaluations: The Office of Water will include in EPA staff performance standards specific references that link the evaluation of staff, especially the Senior Executive Service corps, to success in improving program performance.

7) Recognize Successes: In cases where program performance assessments have contributed to improved performance in environmental or program activity terms, the Office of Water will recognize these successes. By explaining and promoting cases of improved program performance, the organization builds confidence in the assessment process and reinforces the concept that performance improvements are attainable.

8) Strengthen Development of Future Strategic Plans: The Office of Water will use program assessments to improve future strategic plans and future program activity measures.

top

Appendices

• Subobjectives, Strategic Targets, and Program Activity Measures: All (PDF,
• Slides of Program Activity Measures with Regional/National Targets (PDF,
• Grants Management Guidelines for FY 05 (see below)

Grants Management Guidelines for FY 05

top

The Office of Water places a high priority on effective grants management. The key areas to be emphasized as grant programs are implemented are:

(1) standardizing the timing of issuance of grants guidance for categorical grants (i.e., by April of the fiscal year prior to the year in which the guidance applies);

(2) ensuring that a high priority is placed on the effective management of grants; and

(3) linking grants performance to the achievement of environmental results as laid out in the Agency's Strategic Plan and the National Water Program Guidance.

The Office of Grants and Debarment (OGD) issued a Grants Management Plan for 2003 – 2008 which is designed to help ensure that grant programs meet the highest management and fiduciary standards and further the Agency's mission of protecting human health and the environment. The Plan highlights five grants management goals:

-- enhance the skills of EPA personnel involved in grants management;
-- promote competition in the award of grants;
-- leverage technology to improve program performance;
-- strengthen EPA oversight of grants; and
-- support identifying and realizing environmental outcomes.

The Office of Water is committed to accomplishing these goals and working to manage grants efficiently and effectively.

Timing of Guidance Issued for Categorical Grants

One of the Office of Water's objectives is to organize and coordinate the issuance of draft and final guidance documents, including grants guidance, to coincide as much as possible with State, tribal, and regional planning processes. As a result, all guidance packages for categorical grant programs are to be issued by April of the year in advance of the fiscal year of availability of funds (i.e. guidance for fiscal year 2005 appropriated funds needs to be issued by April 2004) if at all possible. Not all categorical grant programs need to issue annual guidance and these programs may simply identify the document that provides guidance for FY 2005.

A table of all grants guidance issued for categorical grants and other key water program grants is available on the internet and provides links to grant specific guidance documents that are applicable to FY 2005; see http://www.epa.gov/water/waterplan/grants.htm

Effective Grants Management

The Agency has issued directives, policies, and guidance to help improve grants management. It is the policy of the Office of Water that all grants are to comply with applicable grants policy described below, regardless of whether the program specific guidance document addresses the policy topic.

Promoting Competition. Office of Water project officers are to comply with Agency policy concerning competition in the award of grants and cooperative agreements and to ensure that the competitive process is fair and open, with no applicant receiving an unfair advantage. EPA Order 5700.5, effective September 30, 2002, includes the requirements for implementing this policy. The Order identifies grant programs that are appropriate for competition, requires detailed justification for noncompetitive awards, and establishes standard procedures for the solicitation, review and evaluation of applications.

Ensuring Effective Oversight of Assistance Agreements. The Office of Water is required to develop and carry out a post-award monitoring plan and conduct basic monitoring for every award. EPA Order 5700.6, revised on January 8, 2004, streamlines post-award management of assistance agreements and helps ensure effective oversight of recipient performance and management. The Order encompasses both the administrative and programmatic aspects of the Agency's financial assistance programs. From the programmatic standpoint, this monitoring should ensure satisfaction of five core areas:

(1) compliance with all programmatic terms and conditions;
(2) correlation of the recipient's work plan/application and actual progress under the award;
(3) availability of funds to complete the project,
(4) proper management of and accounting for equipment purchased under the award, and
(5) compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements of the program.

If during monitoring it is determined that there is reason to believe that the grantee has committed or commits fraud, waste and/or abuse, then the project officer must contact the Office of the Inspector General. Advanced monitoring activities must be documented in the official grant file and the Grantee Compliance Database.

Project Officer Performance Standards: Project Offices participate in a wide range of pre-and post-award activities. On November 14, 2004, EPA disseminated a memorandum entitled "Performance Standards for Grants Management." The Office of Water supports the requirement that performance standards for project officers and their supervisors adequately address grants management responsibilities. Headquarters and Regional offices are required to periodically re-evaluate the new standards as they conduct their grants management self-assessments.

top

Environmental Results of Grants and Link to Strategic Plan

The Office of Water's Strategic Plan includes key "outcome" measures of environmental and public health progress we hope to accomplish by 2008. Both Goal 2 and Goal 4 of the Strategic Plan present specific objectives, subobjectives and strategic targets that define, in measurable terms, the change in public health or environmental conditions to be accomplished by 2008. Grants are one of the many tools that EPA, States, local governments, and others will use to accomplish the environmental and public health goals in the Strategic Plan.

The OGD Grants Management Plan for 2003 – 2008 includes the goal of linking grants performance to the achievement of the Agency's Strategic Plan and managing for results. Based on a policy issued in January 2004 entitled "Interim Policy on Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements" (GPI 04-02), all funding packages submitted on or after February 9, 2004 must include a discussion of how a proposed project/program supports the goals of EPA's Strategic Plan. Each project officer must include language in the Decision Memorandum stating how the project supports EPA's Strategic Plan at the goal level and a statement that the Program Results Code assigned to funding is consistent with that goal. Project officers are encouraged, but not required, to provide further information on how the project fits within the Strategic Plan at the objective, sub-objective, and annual performance goal levels.

An EPA Order is under development that will apply to all non-competitive assistance agreements awarded after January 1, 2005, and all solicitations (for competitive assistance agreements) published after January 1, 2005. The Order will generally require that, to the maximum extent practicable, project officers:

(1) link proposed assistance agreements to the achievement of environmental results as
laid out in the Agency's Strategic Plan;

(2) ensure that outputs and outcomes are appropriately addressed in assistance agreement workplans, solicitations and performance reports; and

(3) consider how the results from completed assistance agreement projects contribute to the Agency's programmatic goals and objectives.

top

Reference Information | Web Satisfaction Survey

EPA Home | Privacy and Security Notice | Contact Us