§1362 Definitions

Summary

It gives plain meanings for many words used in the chapter. State water pollution control agency — the state agency the Governor picks to enforce state pollution laws. Interstate agency — an agency made by two or more States under an agreement Congress approved, or another multi-State agency with pollution control powers the Administrator approves. State — includes each State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Municipality — a city, town, county, parish, district, public body created by state law, an Indian tribe or tribal group, or an approved management agency that handles sewage or waste. Person — an individual, company, partnership, association, State, municipality, commission, political subdivision, or interstate body. Pollutant — many kinds of waste and materials that can enter water (for example, sewage, industrial wastes, chemical and biological wastes, radioactive material, heat, and dumped debris); it does not include (A) certain sewage from vessels as defined in section 1322, or (B) fluids injected into or disposed of in oil or gas wells if the State approves the well and finds the injection won’t harm ground or surface water. Navigable waters — waters of the United States, including the territorial seas. Territorial seas — the coastal water belt measured from the low-water line out to three miles. Contiguous zone — the zone the United States establishes under article 24 of the Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone Convention. Ocean — any part of the high seas beyond the contiguous zone. Effluent limitation — a limit set by a State or the Administrator on how much of certain pollutants can be discharged from point sources, including schedules to meet the limits. Discharge of a pollutant(s) — adding pollutants to navigable waters from a point source, or adding pollutants to the contiguous zone or ocean from a point source other than a vessel. Toxic pollutant — pollutants (including disease-causing agents) that, based on available information, can cause death, disease, cancer, genetic or reproductive harm, or deformities in organisms or their offspring. Point source — any clear, confined conduit like a pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, well, container, certain animal feeding operations, vessel, or other floating craft that can discharge pollutants; it does not include agricultural stormwater or return flows from irrigated agriculture. Biological monitoring — checking how discharges affect aquatic life, including pollutant buildup in tissue, using appropriate sampling methods, places, and timing. Discharge (without qualification) — includes discharges of a pollutant or pollutants. Schedule of compliance — a set of required steps and timing that must be followed to meet limits or standards. Industrial user — manufacturing industries and other major waste producers the Administrator identifies by rule. Pollution — human-caused changes to the chemical, physical, biological, or radiological quality of water. Medical waste — items such as isolation wastes, infectious agents, blood products, pathological wastes, sharps, body parts, contaminated bedding, surgical and certain lab wastes, dialysis wastes, and other items the Administrator adds by rule. Coastal recreation waters — the Great Lakes and marine coastal waters (including estuaries) that a State designates under section 1313(c) for swimming, bathing, surfing, or similar activities; this does not include inland waters or waters upstream of a river mouth that still connect naturally to the open sea. Floatable material — any foreign matter that floats or stays suspended in the water column, including plastic, aluminum cans, wood products, bottles, and paper products. Pathogen indicator — a substance that shows there may be infectious disease risk to people. Oil and gas exploration and production — all field activities tied to exploration, production, processing, treatment, or transmission facilities, including site preparation and moving drilling equipment. Recreational vessel — a boat made or used mainly for pleasure, or rented for a person’s pleasure; it does not include Coast Guard–inspected vessels used for commercial purposes or carrying paying passengers. Treatment works — defined in section 1292. Green infrastructure — measures using plants, soil, permeable surfaces, stormwater reuse, or landscaping to store, soak in, or evaporate stormwater and reduce flows to sewers or surface waters.