40 CFR § 130.6 - Water quality management plans.
(a) Water quality management (WQM) plans. WQM plans consist of initial plans produced in accordance with sections 208 and 303(e) of the Act and certified and approved updates to those plans. Continuing water quality planning shall be based upon WQM plans and water quality problems identified in the latest 305(b) reports. State water quality planning should focus annually on priority issues and geographic areas and on the development of water quality controls leading to implementation measures. Water quality planning directed at the removal of conditions placed on previously certified and approved WQM plans should focus on removal of conditions which will lead to control decisions.
(b) Use of WQM plans. WQM plans are used to direct implementation. WQM plans draw upon the water quality assessments to identify priority point and nonpoint water quality problems, consider alternative solutions and recommend control measures, including the financial and institutional measures necessary for implementing recommended solutions. State annual work programs shall be based upon the priority issues identified in the State WQM plan.
(c) WQM plan elements. Sections 205(j), 208 and 303 of the Act specify water quality planning requirements. The following plan elements shall be included in the WQM plan or referenced as part of the WQM plan if contained in separate documents when they are needed to address water quality problems.
(1) Total maximum daily loads. TMDLs in accordance with sections 303(d) and (e)(3)(C) of the Act and § 130.7 of this part.
(2) Effluent limitations. Effluent limitations including water quality based effluent limitations and schedules of compliance in accordance with section 303(e)(3)(A) of the Act and § 130.5 of this part.
(3) Municipal and industrial waste treatment. Identification of anticipated municipal and industrial waste treatment works, including facilities for treatment of stormwater-induced combined sewer overflows; programs to provide necessary financial arrangements for such works; establishment of construction priorities and schedules for initiation and completion of such treatment works including an identification of open space and recreation opportunities from improved water quality in accordance with section 208(b)(2) (A) and (B) of the Act.
(4) Nonpoint source management and control.
(i) The plan shall describe the regulatory and non-regulatory programs, activities and Best Management Practices (BMPs) which the agency has selected as the means to control nonpoint source pollution where necessary to protect or achieve approved water uses. Economic, institutional, and technical factors shall be considered in a continuing process of identifying control needs and evaluating and modifying the BMPs as necessary to achieve water quality goals.
(ii) Regulatory programs shall be identified where they are determined to be necessary by the State to attain or maintain an approved water use or where non-regulatory approaches are inappropriate in accomplishing that objective.
(iii) BMPs shall be identified for the nonpoint sources identified in section 208(b)(2)(F)–(K) of the Act and other nonpoint sources as follows:
(A) Residual waste. Identification of a process to control the disposition of all residual waste in the area which could affect water quality in accordance with section 208(b)(2)(J) of the Act.
(B) Land disposal. Identification of a process to control the disposal of pollutants on land or in subsurface excavations to protect ground and surface water quality in accordance with section 208(b)(2)(K) of the Act.
(C) Agricultural and silvicultural. Identification of procedures to control agricultural and silvicultural sources of pollution in accordance with section 208(b)(2)(F) of the Act.
(D) Mines. Identification of procedures to control mine-related sources of pollution in accordance with section 208(b)(2)(G) of the Act.
(E) Construction. Identification of procedures to control construction related sources of pollution in accordance with section 208(b)(2)(H) of the Act.
(F) Saltwater intrusion. Identification of procedures to control saltwater intrusion in accordance with section 208(b)(2)(I) of the Act.
(G) Urban stormwater. Identification of BMPs for urban stormwater control to achieve water quality goals and fiscal analysis of the necessary capital and operations and maintenance expenditures in accordance with section 208(b)(2)(A) of the Act.
(iv) The nonpoint source plan elements outlined in § 130.6(c) (4)(iii)(A)(G) of this regulation shall be the basis of water quality activities implemented through agreements or memoranda of understanding between EPA and other departments, agencies or instrumentalities of the United States in accordance with section 304(k) of the Act.
(5) Management agencies. Identification of agencies necessary to carry out the plan and provision for adequate authority for intergovernmental cooperation in accordance with sections 208(b)(2)(D) and 303(e)(3)(E) of the Act. Management agencies must demonstrate the legal, institutional, managerial and financial capability and specific activities necessary to carry out their responsibilities in accordance with section 208(c)(2)(A) through (I) of the Act.
(6) Implementation measures. Identification of implementation measures necessary to carry out the plan, including financing, the time needed to carry out the plan, and the economic, social and environmental impact of carrying out the plan in accordance with section 208(b)(2)(E).
(7) Dredge or fill program. Identification and development of programs for the control of dredge or fill material in accordance with section 208(b)(4)(B) of the Act.
(8) Basin plans. Identification of any relationship to applicable basin plans developed under section 209 of the Act.
(9) Ground water. Identification and development of programs for control of ground-water pollution including the provisions of section 208(b)(2)(K) of the Act. States are not required to develop ground-water WQM plan elements beyond the requirements of section 208(b)(2)(K) of the Act, but may develop a ground-water plan element if they determine it is necessary to address a ground-water quality problem. If a State chooses to develop a ground-water plan element, it should describe the essentials of a State program and should include, but is not limited to:
(i) Overall goals, policies and legislative authorities for protection of ground-water.
(ii) Monitoring and resource assessment programs in accordance with section 106(e)(1) of the Act.
(iii) Programs to control sources of contamination of ground-water including Federal programs delegated to the State and additional programs authorized in State statutes.
(iv) Procedures for coordination of ground-water protection programs among State agencies and with local and Federal agencies.
(v) Procedures for program management and administration including provision of program financing, training and technical assistance, public participation, and emergency management.
(d) Indian Tribes. An Indian Tribe is eligible for the purposes of this rule and the Clean Water Act assistance programs under 40 CFR part 35, subparts A and H if:
(1) The Indian Tribe has a governing body carrying out substantial governmental duties and powers;
(2) The functions to be exercised by the Indian Tribe pertain to the management and protection of water resources which are held by an Indian Tribe, held by the United States in trust for Indians, held by a member of an Indian Tribe if such property interest is subject to a trust restriction on alienation, or otherwise within the borders of an Indian reservation; and
(3) The Indian Tribe is reasonably expected to be capable, in the Regional Administrator's judgment, of carrying out the functions to be exercised in a manner consistent with the terms and purposes of the Clean Water Act and applicable regulations.
(e) Update and certification. State and/or areawide agency WQM plans shall be updated as needed to reflect changing water quality conditions, results of implementation actions, new requirements or to remove conditions in prior conditional or partial plan approvals. Regional Administrators may require that State WQM plans be updated as needed. State Continuing Planning Processes (CPPs) shall specify the process and schedule used to revise WQM plans. The State shall ensure that State and areawide WQM plans together include all necessary plan elements and that such plans are consistent with one another. The Governor or the Governor's designee shall certify by letter to the Regional Administrator for EPA approval that WQM plan updates are consistent with all other parts of the plan. The certification may be contained in the annual State work program.
(f) Consistency. Construction grant and permit decisions must be made in accordance with certified and approved WQM plans as described in §§ 130.12(a) and 130.12(b).