Show EPA water qualify planning given to local districts The Environmental Protection Agency is taking aback a aback aback back seat in its new water quality projects under way In Utah according to John A A. A Green Denver EPA regional administrator A capstone in the structure of ot pollution control to meet 1983 clean water clean water goals the projects named for tor the authorizing Section in the federal act will chart existing controls and progress identify remaining uncontrolled pollution sources and Incorporate incorporate incorporate in In- in- in corporate them all into a comprehensive program m of ot water quality management and enforcement for local adoption When the federal agency has opened its purse in previous local assistance programs the gift typically has been wrapped in red tape federally conducted conducted conducted con con- ducted or supervised within a rigid federal format This one is different Local planning agencies are largely independent of federal or state control In effect EPA is letting lelling local people identify and establish solutions solutions to their own water pollution problems in their own way and EPA is paying all the bills Mr Green said in an explanation of the new program to Utah's Department of Community I Affairs TilE THE FEDERAL role rote is Is' s simply to assist local planning groups when requested Interpret Interpret interpret In In- federal act guidelines and requirements and assist in any conflicts that may arise during the planning process he said Other than that they leave the driving to us Courtney Brewer Drewer Helper project director for Emery Carbon Grand County area said in confirmation He lie is is also chairman of a coordinating committee formed by Utah's independent groups Other project directors and their areas of operation in in- include include clude elude Clinton C C. Harrison Roosevelt Duchesne Uintah and Daggett Counties Neal F. F Christensen St St. George Beaver Garfield Kane Washington and Iron Counties George J J. J Scott Scot Scotti Provo Utah Summit and Wasatch Graham Ogden Weber and Davis and David W W. Eckhoff Salt Lake City Salt Lake County Other counties expected to be brought into the federally federally- funded program include Box BoxElder BoxElder BoxElder Elder Cache Cachel Rich Wayne and Morgan Counti Counties s. s In the remaining Utah counti counties where local officials declined delegation to design their own programs personnel personnel per per- of the Environmental Health Branch State Stale Health Division will perform the same function with more limited state funding As now foreseen this will Include Tooele San Juan Juab Sanpete Millard rd Sevier and Piute Plute Counties WIDE DISCRETION Is granted the designated local teams of specialists according to Dr Brewer He lie said they are allowed to choose their own methods for obtaining necessary field data defining problem areas and correction alternatives and in fashioning a local control program capable capable- of Implementation A major EPA stipulation is that local people be encouraged to look over our shoulders from the start and help point the way Dr Brewer said Utah's goal oal consistent with national objectives is to restore the states state's waters to Class C quality by 1983 making it suitable to sustain aquatic life and allow safe recreational contact Designated programs will culminate in each area with awater a awater awater water quality management plan to control point sources of pollution such as industrial and municipal effluents and storm and combined sewer dis discharges harges and sources such as farm irrigation and runoff mining forestry highway highway highway high high- way runoff protection of groundwater and elimination of pollution by residual wastes Within two years vears of the date program program originates a apr pr program gram of control management implementation and enforcement will be adopted locally under specified public procedures for certification certification certification by the state as adequate to meet goals and submission to EPA before November I 1 1978 All six projects now underway underway underway un un- derway in Utah officially began June 16 1975 with resulting ting deadlines for completion June 16 1977 COMMENTING ON EPA's switch to local autonomy as a method of obtaining cleanup objectives Russell E. E Train told a a Boston audie audience ce last Ma Malt it i- i P i v t TOie OS gj process roc ss offers offers' some intriguing possibilities It is and includes all ll aspects of water pollution control It is a national program but is put together and carried out by local authorities acting on a a regional basis It involves not only planning but implementation It has a high degree degre of public involvement and acco accountability accountability ac ac- co and it ties the planning and political processes together It is still too early to tell if will in fact prove to be as effective an approach as it promises But it does havethe have havethe havethe the basic ingredients of an effective intergovernmental in intergovernmental in in- approach not only to water pollution but to air pollution and solid wastes aswell as well S |