The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Office of Inspector General issued an August 10th project notification titled:
EPA’s Efforts Under the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Acts to Address Harmful Algal Blooms (“Notification”)
See Project No. OA&E-FY20-0280.
The Notification is transmitted from Lauretta Joseph, Acting Director, Water Directorate, Office of Audit and Evaluation to David P. Ross, EPA Assistant Administrator, Office of Water.
Harmful algal blooms (“HABs”) are overgrowths of algae in the water. Such blooms can produce toxins that can cause illness in people and animals. They can occur in warm, fresh, marine, branch water if abundant nutrients are present. Apart from producing dangerous toxins, HABs can also:
- Create dead zones in water
- Increase treatment cost for drinking water
OIG describes the Notification objective as to:
. . . evaluate how the EPA is exercising its authority under the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water acts to address harmful algal blooms and thus protect human health and the environment.
OIG states that it plans to work with both EPA’s Office of Water and selected EPA Regions.
Note that the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment – Division of Environmental Quality is addressing HABs through a “Harmful Algal Bloom Management Plan.”
A copy of the OIG Notification can be downloaded here.
The Between the Lines blog is made available by Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. and the law firm publisher. The blog site is for educational purposes only, as well as to give general information and a general understanding of the law. This blog is not intended to provide specific legal advice. Use of this blog site does not create an attorney client relationship between you and Mitchell Williams or the blog site publisher. The Between the Lines blog site should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.