EPA Region 3 unveiled its draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permitting (NPDES) approach for discharges of nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay in a July 16 letter to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

The proposed approach will require NPDES permits to match the requirements in the state tributary strategies - the comprehensive plans to cut nutrient pollution into the Bay.

More than 300 wastewater treatment plants in the watershed are expected to need permits requiring total reductions of more than 20 million pounds of nitrogen annually.

Comments are due September 15.

7/30/2004