EPA approved revisions to Arizona's state primacy program under the SDWA that adopted regulations that effectuate the federal Revised Total Coliform Rule.

EPA entered into a proposed consent decree under the CWA and APA in Cape Fear River Watch v. United States Environmental Protection Agency, No. 1:22-cv-03809 (D.D.C.), in connection with its alleged failure to perform duties mandated by the CWA to revise the effluent limitations guidelines and promulgate pretreatment standards for the meat and poultry products industrial category.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced that it will open and publicly announce bids received for blocks offered in the Gulf of Mexico Regionwide Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 259 as required by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

EPA withdrew the direct final rule “NPDES Small MS4 Urbanized Area Clarification,” published on December 2, 2022, due to the receipt of an adverse comment.

EPA Region 1 announced the availability of the Draft NPDES Potable Water Treatment Facility General Permit for discharges to certain waters of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the state of New Hampshire.

EPA proposed changes to its test procedures required to be used by industries and municipalities when analyzing the chemical, physical, and biological properties of wastewater and other samples for reporting under the Agency’s NPDES permit program.

EPA requested nominations of chemicals, microbes, or other substances that are not currently regulated in drinking water for possible inclusion on the Sixth Contaminant Candidate List.

United States v. Akron, Ohio, City of, No. 09-cv-00272 (N.D. Ohio Feb. 13, 2023). A proposed amendment to a consent decree concerning operation of a municipal wastewater treatment facility and sewer system in violation of the CWA requires the settling defendant to resize a large tunnel (the Northside Interceptor Tunnel) from 23 million gallons to 10.3 million gallons and add a new requirement for sewer separation at one of its combined sewer overflow discharge points that would otherwise be controlled by the Northside Interceptor Tunnel.

United States v. Capital Region Water, No. 1:15-cv-00291-CCC (M.D. Pa. Feb. 13, 2023). Under a proposed modification to a partial consent decree, CWA defendants must perform injunctive measures to ensure that the sewer system is capable of meeting capture goals in a Long-Term Control Plan in connection with alleged unpermitted discharges from the sewer system in Harrisburg, failure to comply with EPA’s 1994 Combined Sewer Overflow Control Policy, and failure to comply with other requirements of sewer and stormwater NPDES permits.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service responded to comments received during a listening session, on December 17, 2020, for public input about water quantity in the western United States as it relates to existing Service programs and the subsequent public comment period, which closed on January 19, 2021, and identified the actions that the Service has taken and will be taking in the months ahead.