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financial assistance for both planning and implementing actions aimed at achieving state designated uses. 

 Agencies at the federal and state levels should harmonize objectives and coordinate funding for national 

 and regional NPS management programs. 



Strategies should be developed on a hydrologic unit, watershed-wide basis using an approach that includes 

 the consideration of both surface and ground water quality. Programs should focus on cost-effective, site 

 specific practices for individual operations with flexibility for implementation. Section 319 maiugement 

 programs on federal lands should be developed and implemented by the specific agency statutorily charged 

 with management of the lands in question, rather than by regulatory authorities independent of that 

 agency. 



In order for section 319 to work effectively for agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture must play 

 a lead role in the formulation and communication of technology-based best management practices in 

 agriculture. USDA should assist in coordinating section 3 19 programs with technology-based conservation 

 measures adopted in the 1985 and 1990 farm acts, FIFRA pesticide regulations, wetlands protection, 

 public lands management, and EPA groundwater policies. 



An efEective and cost-efficient response to water quality problems requires accurate and reliable 

 information on the source, extent and impact of NPS pollution, as well as the effectiveness, utility and 

 economic feasibility of conservation measures and best management practices. CWA reauthorization 

 should include a strong financial commitment to further research, monitoring and assessment projects. 

 Monitoring should include before and after sampling as well as frequent sampling during storm events and 

 assessment of natural and historic loadings. Scientific research and monitoring projects should follow 

 protocols developed by the U.S. Geological Survey and should be concluded on a watershed basis with 

 local and state input. Representative pilot projects aimed at achieving market based incentives on a 

 watershed or regiotal level should be encouraged. It is, however, inappropriate to provide the authority 

 for citizen suits against individuals participating in NPS maiagement programs. Moreover, a more 

 prudent use of scarce resources is to provide monetary assistance to states for monitoring activities rather 

 than to voluntary monitoring programs. 



Current Efforts to Prevent NPS 



The existence of programs at all levels of government to protect water ft-om potential NPS contaminants 

 necessitates development of an effective coordination strategy to avoid conflicts and duplication of efforts. 

 Failure to recognize this need can lead to squandering of limited resources and may result in conflicting 

 programs that may even increase the potential for pollution of ground water while trying to reduce the 

 potential for pollution of surface water (or vice versa). 



Approaches to protect water quality can be categorized as nonregulatory/voluntary, regulatory, liability, 

 or comprehensive protection. Many farmers have voluntarily adopted best management practices and 

 other measures that will help protect water firom potential pollution. Continued research, education by 

 public and private entities, technical assistance on developing or implementing water quality protection 

 programs, economic incentives, and product stewardship are necessary to increase water resource 

 protection. 



Numerous efforts are underway to protect ground and surface water from potential NPS pollution. 

 Among these are programs and legislation at all levels of government, that vary in type and structure. 

 For the record, allow me to highlight a few of the federal, state and local regulatory and voluntary 

 programs which currently exist. 



