Water: Effluent Guidelines (304m)
Laws & RegulationsLaws & Executive OrdersClean Water ActEffluent Guidelines (Clean Water Act section 304(m)) Effluent Guidelines (Clean Water Act section 304(m))
2010 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan
On October 26, 2011, EPA published the final 2010 plan for effluent guidelines, which are regulations that improve water quality by controlling discharges from industrial sources. The final 2010 plan identified new or existing industrial dischargers selected for effluent guidelines rulemaking and provided a schedule for such rulemakings. It also solicited data and information for EPA's 2011 Effluent Guidelines Program Reviews.
The Agency solicited comments from the public on the final 2010 plan and data and information for the 2011 Reviews for 30 days (to have been submitted on or before November 25, 2011). The Agency received several requests for additional time to submit comments. These extension requests were submitted within days of the close of the comment period, thus EPA was not able to grant an extension before the comment period closed.
EPA is therefore re-opening the comment period and will accept public comments on the plan, and data and information for the 2011 reviews, for an additional 60 days upon publication of a notice in the Federal Register.
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.
- Federal Register Notice | Print Version (PDF) (19 pp, 222K) (October 26, 2011)
- News Release (October 20, 2011)
- Fact Sheet about the Final Plan | Print Version (PDF) (2 pp, 57K) (October 2011)
- Technical Support Document for the Final 2010 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan (PDF) (255 pp, 2.27MB) (October 2011), EPA-820-R-10-021
- Appendix A (PDF) (107 pp, 659K)
- Appendix B (PDF) (263 pp, 445K)
- Appendix C (PDF) (65 pp, 182K)
- User Guide to the 304(m) 2010 Plan Docket (PDF) (18 pp, 595K)
- User Guide Index for Docket (PDF) (74 pp, 235K)
- Regulations.gov Docket (EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0517)
- Coalbed Methane Extraction Detailed Study Report (PDF). (91 pp, 2.72MB) December 2010, EPA-820-R-10-022
- Ore Mining and Dressing Category: Preliminary Study Report. (54 pp, 873K) October 2011, EPA-820-R-10-025
- Dental Amalgam Effluent Guideline
- Best Management Practices for Unused Pharmaceuticals at Health Care Facilities - DRAFT GUIDANCE
Past Effluent Guidelines Program Plans
EPA publishes a final Effluent Guidelines Program Plan every even year as is required by Section 304(m) of the Clean Water Act. Prior to publishing the final Plan, EPA must publish a preliminary Plan and take public comment. The links in the table below provide information on previous effluent guidelines program plans.
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
| Year | Preliminary Plan | Final Plan |
| 1990 | August 25, 1988 (53 FR 32584) | January 2, 1990 (55 FR 80) |
| 1992 | May 7, 1992 (57 FR 19748) | September 8, 1992 (57 FR 41000) |
| 1994 | May 18, 1994 (59 FR 25859) | August 26, 1994 (59 FR 44234) |
| 1996 | July 3, 1996 (61 FR 35041) | October 7, 1996 (61 FR 52581) |
| 1998 | May 28, 1998 (63 FR 29203) | September 4, 1998 (63 FR 47285) |
| 2000 | June 16, 2000 (65 FR 37783) | August 31, 2000 (65 FR 53008) |
| 2002 | June 18, 2002 (67 FR 41417) | August 27, 2002 (67 FR 55012) |
| 2004 | December 31, 2003 (68 FR 75515) | September 2, 2004 (69 FR 53705) |
| 2006 | August 29, 2005 (70 FR 51042) | December 21, 2006 (71 FR 76644) |
| 2008 | October 30, 2007 (72 FR 61335) | September 15, 2008 (73 FR 53218) |
| 2010 | December 28, 2009 (74 FR 68599) | October 26, 2011 (76 FR 66286) |
Clean Water Act §304(m)
Sec. 304. Information and Guidelines.
(m) Schedule for Review of Guidelines. —
- (1) Publication. — Within 12 months after the date of the enactment of the Water Quality Act of 1987, and biennially thereafter, the Administrator shall publish in the Federal Register a plan which shall
- (A) establish a schedule for the annual review and revision of promulgated effluent guidelines, in accordance with subsection (b) of this section,
(B) identify categories of sources discharging toxic or nonconventional pollutants for which guidelines under subsection (b)(2) of this section and section 306 have not previously been published; and
(C) establish a schedule for promulgation of effluent guidelines for categories identified in subparagraph (B) under which promulgation of such guidelines shall be no later than 4 years after such date of enactment for categories identified in the first published plan or 3 years after the publication of the plan for categories identified in later published plans.
- (2) Public Review. — The Administrator shall provide for public review and comment on the plan prior to final publication.