CWA Section 316(b) Regulation
Power Plant Once-Through Cooling Regulation
The withdrawal of cooling water removes billions of aquatic organisms from waters of the U.S. each year, including fish, fish larvae and eggs, crustaceans, shellfish, sea turtles, marine mammals, and many other forms of aquatic life. Most impacts are to early life stages of fish and shellfish. Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) requires USEPA to ensure that the location, design, construction and capacity of cooling water intake structures reflect the best technology available for minimizing adverse environmental impacts. The State Water Board is in the process of developing a Statewide policy to implement federal 316(b) requirements.
Disclaimer: All documents and drafts are accurate as of the date prepared or presented, but may not represent the most current thinking or data available. Older documents are presented here for purposes of history or context.
- Extended Comment Period - Revised Notice of Public Scoping Meetings
- May 8, 2008 in San Pedro
- May 13, 2008 in Sacramento
- Deadline for Comments is 12:00 noon, May 20, 2008.
- Comments
- Expert Review Panel Draft Comments
- SWRCB Scoping Meeting Powerpoint Presentation, with Meeting Agenda
- Water Quality Control Policy on the Use of Coastal and Estuarine Waters for Power Plant Cooling
On June 13, 2006, the State Water Board released the following document: “Scoping Document - Proposed Statewide Policy on Clean Water Act Section 316(b) Regulations.” Subsequently, on July 9, 2007, the United States Environmental Protection Agency suspended federal regulations (Phase II) for cooling water intake structures at existing power plants.
Because the regulatory landscape for Clean Water Act Section 316(b) regulation has substantially changed, the State Water Board is now releasing a revised document entitled, “Scoping Document: Water Quality Control Policy on the Use of Coastal and Estuarine Waters for Power Plant Cooling.”The revised document is being released to allow the public to review and comment on the State Water Board staff’s preliminary proposal for a statewide policy to implement Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act regarding the use of once-through cooling water at power plants. The State Water Board will hold a CEQA scoping meeting and public workshop in May 2008.
- New ! Draft Expert Review Panel Documents
"These individual Expert Review Panel (ERP) comments are draft. As of May 13, 2008 the work of the ERP is still in progress. Final Findings of the ERP are still under development. Individual ERP members may still submit further comments and may also amend their draft comments prior to completion of the final findings of the ERP.
- Extended Comment Period - Revised Notice of Public Scoping Meetings
- May 8, 2008 in San Pedro
- May 13, 2008 in Sacramento
- Deadline for Comments is 12:00 noon, May 20, 2008.
- Scoping Document: Water Quality Control Policy on the Use of Coastal and Estuarine Waters for Power Plant Cooling
- Updated ! Grid Reliability Study
- Updated ! Grid Reliability Study
- Symposium: Understanding the Environmental Effects of Once Through Cooling:
- January 15 & 16, 2008, UC Davis University Club
- Symposium Agenda
- Presentations:
- Eric Miller - Marine Fishes
- Elizabeth Strange - OTC Impact Assessment
- Jon Geller - Molecular ID
- Dan Pondella - Icthyoplankton King Harbor
- John Largier - Far Field Entrainment
- John Steinbeck - Assessing I&E Impacts
- Elizabeth Strange - Scaling Restoration
- Tim Mussen - Vibrating Fish Screens
- Tim Havey - Alt Cooling Systems Analysis
- John Maulbetsch - Issues Retrofitting Coastal Plants
- Matt Trask - Electric Reliability Study
- John Maulbetsch - Salt Water Cooling Towers
- Steve Saiz - State Water Board 316b Report
- EPRI Report. Assessment of Once-Through Cooling System Impacts to California
- EPRI Report. Issues Analysis of Retrofitting Once-Through Cooled Plants with Closed
- Proposed Statewide Policy for Once-Through Cooling (CWA 316(b) Regulations)
- Notice of Public Scoping Meeting - July 31, 2006
- Comment Deadline Extended to September 15, 2006 (5pm)
- Comment Deadline Extended to September 25, 2006 (5pm)
- Comments
- Agenda
- CEQA Scoping Document
- Notice of Public Scoping Meeting - July 31, 2006
- State Water Board Workshops on Implementation of CWA 316(b) Regulations
- December 7, 2005 - Oakland, CA
- Notice of Workshop
- Revised Workshop Agenda
- Meeting Transcripts (Disclaimer: This transcript was made from a tape recording. The State Water Board does not guarantee the accuracy of this transcript.)
- Presentations
- 316(b) Oakland Workshop Comments
- September 26, 2005 - Laguna Beach, CA
- Notice of Workshop
- Workshop Agenda
- Meeting Transcripts (Disclaimer: This transcript was made from a tape recording. The State Water Board does not guarantee the accuracy of this transcript.)
- Presentations
- 316(b) Laguna Beach Workshop Comments
- December 7, 2005 - Oakland, CA
- 1975 Policy on the Use of Inland Waters for Powerplant Cooling - Includes Resolution 75-58
