The Environmental Protection Agency has announced it will work in partnership with state and local governments to develop common sense, flexible solutions for cleaning up the 40 percent of the nation's waterways that still don't meet the goals for public-health protection.

The Clinton Administration's final clean water rule is aimed at protecting the health and livelihood of the more than 90 percent of the American population that lives within 10 miles of a polluted body of water. And it will have a significant impact on development costs and property values in the areas it impacts.

The plan is geared toward addressing the greatest remaining source of water pollution in the United States -- uncontrolled runoff. Working together, the EPA and state governments already have identified more than 20,000 river segments, lakes and estuaries across America that do not meet water quality standards to protect public health.

The plan, which builds on the successful cleanup models of the Great Lakes and the Chesapeake Bay, uses measurable targets to achieve real reductions in water pollution. It supports a credit trading system like that used in the acid rain program to ensure cost-effectiveness. And it allows maximum flexibility for state and local governments to develop cleanup plans.

This marks the first time ever that water pollution problems will be addressed comprehensively on a state-by-state, river-by-river basis. The EPA, the states and local communities will work together to develop cleanup plans tailored specifically to the protection of their own local water bodies.

State and local governments will have maximum flexibility to determine how best to meet cleanup goals by setting their own TMDLs, or total maximum daily loads. TMDLs establish allowable limits to reduce the pollution that flows directly into a body of water.

The EPA's plan finishes the job of cleaning up rivers, lakes and streams, and comes after a recent legislative effort to delay its implementation. Over the agency's objections, Congress added a legislative "rider" to block the clean water rule, which was undergoing review and revision after a period of public comment.

"Americans want and deserve clean beaches and safe waters in which to swim and fish. Yet, 40 percent of America's waters are still too polluted," said EPA Administrator Carol Browner. "The time has come to move forward and live up to the promise of the Clean Water Act by making our waters fishable and swimmable once again."

EPA agreed to a number of changes in the program in response to the comments received after its initial proposal, including those from members of Congress. In general, the changes provide the states with significant new flexibility in implementing the program.

These changes include: dropping provisions that could have required new permits for forestry, livestock, and aquaculture operations; significantly enhancing state flexibility; giving states four years instead of two years to update inventories of polluted waters; and allowing states to establish their own schedules for when polluted waters will achieve health standards, not to exceed 15 years.

The rule is set to take effect on Oct. 1, 2001 to give Congress ample time to review it if it chooses.

Published: July 18, 2000

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When Lew Sichelman first started writing about housing in 1969, he was the youngest real estate writer in the country. Now, 37 years later, he's one of the oldest -- and most decorated. He has been rated the top housing columnist in the country by the National Association of Realtors as well as by his peers in the National Association of Real Estate Editors. Indeed, NAREE has recognized his work on numerous occasions. One year - due to his advancing age, he can't recall which one - he earned top honors in the annual NAREE Journalism Contest in three out of the four major writing categories. It was the first time one writer has won so many NAREE awards in a single year. Known for his ability to make even the most difficult topics understandable, Sichelman also has been honored by the National Association of Home Builders and the Mortgage Bankers Association. He began providing in-depth coverage of and consumer-oriented information about housing and housing finance at the Washington Daily News, where he was real estate editor. He held that same position for nine more years at the Washington Star, which purchased the News in 1972. The Star, a so-called "writer's newspaper" which also had the misfortune of being an evening paper, was put out of its misery in 1981, and Sichelman, who had begun self-syndicating his column in 1978, decided to become a full-time columnist. Today, his column, "The Housing Scene," is distributed by United Media to newspapers throughout the country. He also is on the staff of National Mortgage News, an independent newspaper which is considered the bible of the mortgage business. And he writes for numerous other publications, including MarketWatch.com, where he answers readers questions once a week, Sports Illustrated (don't ask), RealtyTimes.com, BigBuilder and others. Sichelman is married, the father of five and grandfather of eleven.