Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program
In terms of water quality, what happens on the land is just as important as what happens in the water. Nonpoint source pollution, or polluted runoff, is thought to be the greatest threat to coastal waters, which is why Congress mandated shared responsibilities for this issue between land use decision makers and water quality agencies.
The Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program, which was established in 1990 by Section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments, is jointly administered by NOAA and the EPA. The goal is to reduce polluted runoff to coastal waters.
The program establishes a set of management
measures for states to use in controlling runoff from five main sources: agriculture, forestry, urban
areas, marinas, and hydromodification (shoreline and stream channel modification). The program also
includes management measures for wetlands, riparian and vegetated treatment systems. State authorities
ensure implementation. All coastal and Great Lakes states and territories that participate in the National
Coastal Zone Management Program are required to develop coastal nonpoint pollution control programs.
Some of the land use practices recommended to reduce runoff include preserving natural vegetation, avoiding development within sensitive habitats and erosion-prone areas, and limiting impervious surfaces such as pavement, decking, and roof tops as much as possible.
Guidance Documents
- Guidance Specifying Management Measures for Sources of Nonpoint Pollution in Coastal Waters (EPA 1993)
- Program Development and Approval Guidance (NOAA and EPA 1993)
Supplemental Information
- Flexibility for State Coastal Nonpoint Programs (NOAA and EPA 1995)
- Final Administrative Changes to the Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program Guidance (NOAA and EPA 1998)
- Enforceable Policies and Mechanisms for State Coastal Nonpoint Source Programs (NOAA and EPA 2001)
- “Bottom Lines” for the Coastal Nonpoint Program (NOAA 2001)
- Policy Clarification on Overlap of 6217 Coastal Nonpoint Programs with Phase I and II Storm Water Regulations (NOAA and EPA 2002)
- Strategy for Working with States to Address CZMA Section 312 Necessary Actions Related to Coastal Nonpoint Program Development (NOAA 2015)
- Potential Approaches and Benchmarks for the Inspections Element of CZARA Operating Onsite Disposal Systems Management Measure (EPA and NOAA 2019)
Decision Memos for State Programs
NOAA and EPA review coastal nonpoint programs. All states were initially approved, with conditions (see “conditional approval findings” under each state link below). States receive full approval for their programs after they satisfy all conditions (see “full approval decision memo” under each state link). Note: If a state or territory does not have an active link to its full approval decision document, it has yet to receive full approval.
- Conditional Approval Findings (6/30/1998)
- Finding that Alabama has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (10/21/2024)
- Response to Comment on Final Findings (10/01/2024)
- Conditional Approval Findings (10/3/1997)
- Finding that American Samoa has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (7/24/2003)
- Conditional Approval Findings (6/30/1998)
- Finding that California has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (7/17/2000)
- Conditional Approval Findings (6/30/1998)
- Finding that Connecticut has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (11/28/2003)
- Conditional Approval Findings (10/3/1997)
- Finding that Delaware has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (2/12/2002)
- Conditional Approval Findings (11/18/1997)
- Finding that Florida has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (3/27/2008)
- Conditional Approval Findings (6/4/2002)
- Finding that Georgia has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (11/1/18)
- Conditional Approval Findings (10/3/1997)
- Finding that Guam has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (9/26/2007)
- Conditional Approval Findings (6/30/1998)
- Finding that Hawaii has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (Pending)
- Conditional Approval Findings (8/23/16)
- Finding that Illinois has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (9/2/22)
- Conditional Approval Findings (1/15/2008)
- Finding that Indiana has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (3/14/2024)
- Conditional Approval Findings (6/30/1998)
- Finding that Louisiana has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (5/13/2022)
- Response to Comment on Final Findings (5/04/2022)
- Conditional Approval Findings (2/23/1998)
- Finding that Maine has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (7/8/2003)
- Conditional Approval Findings (10/3/1997)
- Finding that Maryland has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (12/13/1999)
- Conditional Approval Findings (9/24/1997)
- Finding that Massachusetts has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (10/3/2001)
- Conditional Approval Findings (9/24/1997)
- Finding that Michigan has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (10/5/2023)
- Conditional Approval Findings (3/11/2003)
- Finding that Minnesota has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (7/27/2006)
- Conditional Approval Findings (11/18/1997)
- Finding that Mississippi has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (Pending)
- Conditional Approval Findings (11/18/1997)
- Finding that New Hampshire has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (10/4/2001)
- Conditional Approval Findings (11/18/1997)
- Finding that New Jersey has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (1/28/2010)
- Conditional Approval Findings (11/18/1997)
- Finding that New York has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (12/5/2006)
- Conditional Approval Findings (2/23/1998)
- Finding that North Carolina has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (5/5/2003)
- Conditional Approval Findings (10/3/1997)
- Finding that Northern Mariana Islands has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (8/20/2003)
- Conditional Approval Findings (6/4/2002)
- Finding that Ohio has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (1/26/2022)
- Conditional Approval Findings (1/13/1998)
- Proposed Finding that Oregon Has Not Submitted a Fully Approvable Program (12/20/2013)
- Public Comments Received on Proposed Findings
- Oregon's Response to Proposed Findings (3/20/2014)
- Cover Letter for January 30, 2015 Findings Document (1/30/2015)
- Finding that Oregon Has Not Submitted a Fully Approvable Program (1/30/2015)
- Response to Comments on Proposed Finding (1/30/2015)
- Docket for Finding that Oregon Has Not Submitted a Fully Approvable Program (1/30/2015)
- Conditional Approval Findings (10/3/1997)
- Finding that Pennsylvania has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (5/16/2001)
- Conditional Approval Findings (11/18/1997)
- Finding that Puerto Rico has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (10/19/2000)
- Conditional Approval Findings (9/24/1997)
- Finding that Rhode Island has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (4/20/2000)
- Conditional Approval Findings (2/23/1998)
- Finding that South Carolina has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (3/27/2008)
- Conditional Approval Findings (10/16/2003)
- Finding that Texas has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (5/13/2022)
- Response to Comment on Final Findings (5/04/2022)
- Conditional Approval Findings (11/18/1997)
- Finding that Virgin Islands has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (2/12/2002)
- Conditional Approval Findings (2/23/1998)
- Finding that Virginia has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (5/16/2001)
- Conditional Approval Findings (6/30/1998)
- Finding that Washington has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (1/31/2024)
- Response to Comments on Proposed Finding (1/31/2024)
- Federal Register Notice Announcing Extension to Public Comment on NOAA and the EPA’s Proposed Finding that Washington has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval Placed on its Coastal Nonpoint Program (8/12/2020)
- Federal Register Notice Announcing Public Comment on NOAA and the EPA's Proposed Finding that Washington has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval Placed on its Coastal Nonpoint Program (6/15/2020)
- Proposed Finding that Washington has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (6/15/2020)
- Docket for Finding that Washington has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval on its Coastal Nonpoint Program (1/31/2024)
- Conditional Approval Findings (9/24/1997)
- Finding that Wisconsin has Satisfied All Conditions of Approval (1/30/2003)
For more information, contact us.