Laws and Programs 



encourage states to prioritize receiving waters, concentrating their attention and financial 

 resources on those in the worst condition. 



States were required to review standards by 1984 to determine whether designated uses 

 were being attained and whether they were attainable. The Continuing Planning Process, 

 established by Section 303 of the Clean Water Act, stipulated that water quality standards 

 should be regularly revised to consider new data, changes in financial resources, and 

 technological change, and to address new pollution problems. 



In an effort to encourage accurate definition of priorities, the law stressed use of: 



a) water quality limited segments to designate areas where technology- based effluent 

 limits had proved inadequate; 



b) total maximum daily loads (the largest loading of pollutants compatible with a 

 designated use); 



c) waste load allocation (loads allocated to individual pollutant sources to aid in 

 evaluation of violation of the standards); 



d) effluent limits, specifying the maximum pollutant loading which a discharger can 

 legally contribute to a water body. 



A broad range of pollutant sources are to be considered by states in revising standards, 

 according to tiie review process suggested in the Federal Register (October 29, 1982). The 

 process accounted for consideration of the adequacy of non-point source controls only at 

 the end of the process, however, after the difference between the allowable daily load and 

 the existing load had been computed and allocated among the sources of pollution in the 

 drainage basin feeding a water body segment 



The Role of Involved Agencies in Non-point Source Management 



Responsibility for various aspects of non-point source management ranges across 

 several state agencies in Rhode Island and extends to local government Exisojig and 

 recommended allocation of responsibility is briefly summarized in Tables 1.1 (a) through 

 1.1(f), which follow. 



Part of the complexity of Rhode Island's regulatory frameworic is due to the fact that 

 federal pollution control strategy shifted from placing emphasis on tailoring control efforts 

 to local conditions toward reliance on uiuform technology-based controls. In the 1970's, 

 the Department of Administration's Division of Planning (then called the Office of 

 Statewide Planning) held a key position on water quality planning and implementation, 

 assisting towns in preparation of 201 Facilities Plans and developing the Areawide Water 

 Quality Management Plan for the state in 1978. 



The Division of Planning prcsentiy addresses numerous issues relating land use and 

 water quality. Of key importance is the Division's current project to develop a Scituate 

 Reservoir Watershed Management Plan. The Division also addresses land use and water 

 resource issues through its State Guide Plan Overview, the 208 Areawide Water Quality 

 Management Plan, and several 303 Basin Plans. Issues include conservation and open 

 space planning, waste management transportation, economic development, housing, water 



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