Laserfiche WebLink
<br />~ <br /><:) <br />00 <br />OJ <br /> <br />It is premature for the Basin states to anticipate how the salinity control program will be <br />administered under EQIP, whether funds will be allocated to the salinity control program in <br />sufficient, quantity to provide for the required salt removal, and how the program might be <br />administered for environmental compliance, particularly as it relates to the National Environmental <br />Policy Act (NEPA) and environmental mitigation activities. <br /> <br /> <br />The 1975 standards report includes a detailed discussion of the legislation and events <br />leading to the establishment of basin-wide salinity standards with numeric criteria for the lower <br />main stem of the Colorado River. The standards were adopted by all of the Basin states and <br />subsequently approved by the EPA. The 1978, 1981, 1984, 1987, 1990, and 1993 reports <br />reviewed the numeric criteria included in the 1975' report and concluded that no change was <br />warranted. However, the plan of implementation in each report was updated to reflect changes <br />in the salinity control program since 1975. <br /> <br />The plan of implementation, as set forth in' this and earlier Forum Reviews, includes <br />effluent limitations on industrial point source discharges with the objective of no-salt return <br />whenever practicable. In 1977, the Forum adopted its "Policy for Implementation of Colorado <br />River Salinity Standards Through the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) <br />Permit Program." This policy provides guidance for the regulation of municipal and industrial <br />point source discharges of saline water. In 1980, the Forum adopted a policy to encourage the <br />use of brackish and/or saline waters for industrial purposes where it is environmentally sound and <br />economically feasible. A third policy dealing with intercepted ground water was adopted by the <br />Forum in 1982. In 1988, the Forum adopted a fourth policy which addresses the salinity of water <br />discharges from fish hatcheries. Each of the Forum policies are included in Appendix B. <br /> <br />1-4 <br />