Helen Tran APES P.2

What is the Clean Water Act?  This act was introduced in the Senate as S by Edmund Muskie on October 28,  The Clean Water Act or CWA is the federal way of preventing toxic substances and chemicals from polluting into waters we use for human sports and recreation on a national level.  It limited additional water pollution by 1985.

Amendments of the CWA  There are two major amendments of the CWA:  The Clean Water Act of 1977 expanded and strengthened earlier legislations.  The 1972 act introduced a permit system for regulating point sources of pollution, which include: -industrial facilities (manufacturing, mining, oil and gas extraction, service industries, etc.) -municipal government and other government facilities (such as military bases)  -agricultural facilities, such as animal feedlots.

Amendments Cont.  The Water Quality Act of 1987 aka WQA:  Congress made municipal separate storm sewer systems in response to the stormwater problem. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States.

How has the CWA effected the environment?  The CWA has positively effected our environment by supplying citizens with clean water to use. Without water pollution regulations, disease and viruses will be more likely of rising and potentially destroying human populations.