- Federal Guidance and Regulations
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Summary of the Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters.
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Overview of Certification under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act
Under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), a federal agency may not issue a permit or license to conduct any activity that may result in any discharge into waters of the United States unless a Section 401 water quality certification is issued, verifying compliance with water quality requirements, or certification is waived.
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Section 404, Placement of Dredged or Filled Materials
Section 404 of the CWA regulates the placement of dredged or fill material into wetlands, lakes, streams rivers, estuaries and certain other types of waters. The goal of Section 404 is to avoid and minimize losses to wetlands and other waters and to compensate for unavoidable loss through mitigation and restoration. Section 404 is jointly implemented by EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. USACE issues Section 404 permits and monitors compliance with the issued permits.
- Training
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PCoP Webinar: Section 401 Water Quality Certification
This webinar provided an overview of the new Section 401 Water Quality Certification Rule and its requirements and was presented by Jamie Higgins (Environmental Policy Reviewer, HQUSACE Office of Water Project Review). Districts must request a water quality certification from the appropriate certifying authority to ensure compliance of a project with relevant water quality requirements. The presentation focused on changes to the Section 401 rule and how they should be implemented in Planning and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents based on this District requirement.
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Protecting and Restoring Our Waters: The Clean Water Act Through an Environmental Justice Lens Module
This training module is designed to increase the users understanding of environmental justice as it relates to the Clean Water Act (CWA). The module explores the CWA as a guiding framework to highlight water equity challenges and watershed management opportunities. It explains the basics of environmental justice, provides a brief overview of 10 cornerstone CWA programs that drive surface-water quality protection, and outlines clear opportunities for the public to engage in the CWA process.
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