Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§4370j Municipal Ombudsman

Title 42 › CHAPTER 55 — NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY › SUBCHAPTER III — MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS › § 4370j

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates an Office of the Municipal Ombudsman inside the Office of the Administrator, led by a Municipal Ombudsman. The ombudsman must give technical help to towns and cities trying to follow the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. The ombudsman must also give information to the Administrator so EPA offices, including regional offices, carry out agency policies. The ombudsman must work with EPA headquarters and regional offices to make sure any municipality asking for help gets information about what federal money it can get, what flexibilities under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act are available, and how to make an integrated plan under section 402(s) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [33 U.S.C. 1342(s)]. The ombudsman must post on the EPA website general info on the help, the money, the flexibilities, any resources on integrated plans under section 402(s) [33 U.S.C. 1342(s)], and copies of each permit, order, or judicial consent decree that uses such an integrated plan.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §4370j

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment
There is established within the Office of the Administrator an Office of the Municipal Ombudsman, to be headed by a Municipal Ombudsman.
(b)General duties
The duties of the Municipal Ombudsman shall include the provision of— (1)
(2)information to the Administrator to help the Administrator ensure that agency policies are implemented by all offices of the Environmental Protection Agency, including regional offices.
(c)Actions required
The Municipal Ombudsman shall work with appropriate offices at the headquarters and regional offices of the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that a municipality seeking assistance is provided information regarding—
(1)available Federal financial assistance for which the municipality is eligible;
(2)flexibility available under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act; and
(3)the opportunity to develop an integrated plan under section 402(s) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [33 U.S.C. 1342(s)].
(d)Information sharing
The Municipal Ombudsman shall publish on the website of the Environmental Protection Agency—
(1)general information relating to—
(A)the technical assistance referred to in subsection (b)(1);
(B)the financial assistance referred to in subsection (c)(1);
(C)the flexibility referred to in subsection (c)(2); and
(D)any resources developed by the Administrator related to integrated plans under section 402(s) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act [33 U.S.C. 1342(s)]; and
(2)a copy of each permit, order, or judicial consent decree that implements or incorporates such an integrated plan.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is act June 30, 1948, ch. 758, as amended generally by Pub. L. 92–500, § 2, Oct. 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 816, which is classified generally to chapter 26 (§ 1251 et seq.) of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1251 of Title 33 and Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, and not as part of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 which comprises this chapter.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Definitions Pub. L. 115–436, § 2, Jan. 14, 2019, 132 Stat. 5558, provided that: “In this Act [see

Short Title

of 2019 Amendment note set out under section 1251 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters]: “(1) Administrator.—The term ‘Administrator’ means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. “(2) Municipality.—The term ‘municipality’ has the meaning given that term in section 502 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1362).”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 4370j

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110