EPA and ASIWPCA holding TMDL conferences for states

May 4, 2001—EPA and the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators (ASIWPCA) are conducting a series of workshops throughout the country to assist states in the task of developing and implementing total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for polluted water bodies.

According to the Clean Water Act, when a water body fails to meet water quality standards, the state is required to establish pollution limits for the water body, allocating this pollution "load" among dischargers in the watershed.

The first workshop was held in Austin, TX, from April 18 to 20, for the benefit of states in EPA Regions 5, 6, and 7. The next workshop, for Regions 3 and 4, will be held in Savannah, GA from May 23 to 25.

Additional workshops are planned for Regions 8, 9, and 10 in Seattle, and for Regions 1 and 2 in Merrimack, NH. For registration information, go to http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/training.html on the Internet.