Marine and Ocean Discharges |Oceans, Coasts, Estuaries & Beaches
Quick Finder| |Oceans, Coasts, & Estuaries Home Coastal
Watershed Protection||Marine Pollution Prevention Monitoring and
Assessment||Ocean & Coastal Partnerships Frequently Asked
Questions||Coasts for Kids| Under the Clean Water Act, any
discharge of a pollutant from a point source to the navigable
waters of the United States must obtain a National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The permit requires
compliance with technology- and water-quality-based treatment
standards. An NPDES permit allows a facility to discharge a
specified amount of a pollutant into a receiving water body
under certain conditions. Under NPDES permitting, two sections
deal specifically with discharges to marine and ocean waters:
Section 301(h) and 403. Under 403, any discharge to the
territorial seas or beyond must comply with Ocean Discharge
Criteria, including guidelines for determining degradation of
waters. Section 301(h) allows waivers from secon