Federal / State Regulatory Requirements

Federal Requirements

State Requirements

Congress created most environmental laws in the U.S. to be "delegated" to State governments where the laws would be implemented and administered. A State may seek to have EPA delegate all (or part) of an environmental program to it. For example, a State may have the NPDES permit program delegated to it under the Clean Water Act, but not have some other delegable part of the CWA. By 1998, most States had received most parts of most delegable programs. When a program is delegated to a State, the State conducts most of the permitting, inspection, and enforcement activities, with EPA maintaining a back-up or oversight role.