Transcript Command and Control Regulation in Action

Command and
Control Regulation
in Action
Regulating Industrial Water
Pollution in the US
Clean Water Act of 1972
Sets national goals as zero-discharge of
pollution by 1985
 2 Main Policy Tools
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Construction grants program $$
 Technology based regulations for
discharge of water pollution from point
sources
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National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System
EPA- establishes Federal Effluent Guidelines
 States– write,monitoring, and enforce NPEDS
permits
 Main Targets
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Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
total suspended solids (TSS)
15 pollutants of concerns, (metals i.e. arsenic and
mercury)
POTW publicly owned
treatment works
POTW
POTW
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Tech Regulation
Primary treatment (skimming, screening,
settling) 65%
 Secondary treatment - 80-90%
 Criteria on uses for sludge
 ensuring effective operation and
maintenance
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Direct Discharges from
Industrial Plants
Direct Discharges from
Industrial Plants
EPA guidelines for 30 designated
industries
 best practicable technology by 1977
 Best Available Tech by 1983
 New Source Performance Standards
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Complexity
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Dairy Standards
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Different standards for subcategories
Acceptable pollutant discharge rates vary
BOD 30 day standard for large facilities Butter
.55kg per 1000 kg of BOD input; Cottage cheese
2.6, Ice bream 1.84, Condensed Milk 1.38, Dry
Milk .65
Separate limits for one day maximum discharge,
30 day average, for small and large facilities.
Indirect discharges from industrial plant
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Industrial plants to POTW
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Pretreatment guidelines
Rulemaking Process
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Information Requirements
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Writing of direct discharge standards
How to operationalize best, practicable,
economically achievable
Need information on production techniques,
location, waste products, and waste treatment
tech
heterogeneity --360 industrial subcategories
among first 30 industries requiring effluent
guidelines
separate BPT, BAT, NSPS< and pretreatment
regulations
Rulemaking Process
Role of consulting firms
 Proposed standards, industry comment
 250 lawsuits
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Regulatory Output
BPT - 1 year
 BAT standards – 1/3rd done by 1995
 Zero Discharge – still waiting
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Abatement Costs
Big variation in incremental costs
 Estimate of costs > than actual
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Compliance
Assumption- 97% reduction in discharge of
priority pollutants
 Compliance – mixed
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6% of major direct dischargers -significant
noncompliance
% of US served by POTWs increases from 42% to
74%
POTW pretreatment- 54% of significant indutstrial
users were in significant noncompliance (1992)
But is the water cleaner?
Some big successes- Potomac,
Delaware
 Lack of data,
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Perverse Incentives
Expansion of POTW Construction Grants
Program
 shift from direct discharge towards
indirect discharge
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