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123581 1 (1984-03-07)

handle is hein.gao/gaobactgh0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 


I


              UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE

                      WASHINGTON, D.C.  20548

                                 FOR RELEASE ON DELIVERY
                                 EXPECTED AT 10:00 A.M. E.S.T.,
   123581                        MARCH 7, 1984

                           STATEMENT OF
           HUGH J. WESSINGER, SENIOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
      RESOURCES, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

                            BEFORE THE
           SUBCOMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATIONS AND OVERSIGHT
                              OF THE
        HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION
                                ON

            EPA AND STATE PROGRESS IN ADMINISTERING THE
  NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM PERMIT PROGRAM

Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee:

     We are pleased to be here today to present our observations

and concerns regarding the management of the National Pollutant

Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program--the principal

means of controlling the nation's water pollution.  Our comments

will be based primarily on issues presented in our most recent

report on the program entitled Wastewater Dischargers Are Not

Complying With EPA Pollution Control Permits (GAO/RCED-84-53)

issued on December 2, 1983.

     Considering the magnitude and complexity of the NPDES

program, which involves about 65,000 municipal and industrial

dischargers, it cannot be expected to operate without some

problems.  What concerns us, however, is that we have reported

serious noncompliance with permits for over five years.  The

persistence of these problems compromises the water qual ty and

related environmental benefits of the billions of dollar  invested

in the construction and operation of wastewater treatment

facilities.  EPA most assuredly needs to improve its man gement,

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