Mo. Rev. Stat. § 644.026 — MO Code / Chapter 644 / Section 644.026
644.026 Powers and duties of commission — rules, procedure.
Status: in_force

644.026. Powers and duties of commission — rules, procedure. — 1. The commission shall:

(1) Exercise general supervision of the administration and enforcement of sections 644.006 to 644.141 and all rules and regulations and orders promulgated thereunder;

(2) Develop comprehensive plans and programs for the prevention, control and abatement of new or existing pollution of the waters of the state;

(3) Advise, consult, and cooperate with other agencies of the state, the federal government, other states and interstate agencies, and with affected groups, political subdivisions and industries in furtherance of the purposes of sections 644.006 to 644.141 ;

(4) Accept gifts, contributions, donations, loans and grants from the federal government and from other sources, public or private, for carrying out any of its functions, which funds shall not be expended for other than the purposes for which provided;

(5) Encourage, participate in, or conduct studies, investigations, and research and demonstrations relating to water pollution and causes, prevention, control and abatement thereof as it may deem advisable and necessary for the discharge of its duties pursuant to sections 644.006 to 644.141 ;

(6) Collect and disseminate information relating to water pollution and the prevention, control and abatement thereof;

(7) After holding public hearings, identify waters of the state and prescribe water quality standards for them, giving due recognition to variations, if any, and the characteristics of different waters of the state which may be deemed by the commission to be relevant insofar as possible pursuant to any federal water pollution control act. These shall be reevaluated and modified as required by any federal water pollution control act;

(8) Adopt, amend, promulgate, or repeal after due notice and hearing rules and regulations to enforce, implement, and effectuate the powers and duties of sections 644.006 to 644.141 and any required of this state by any federal water pollution control act, and as the commission may deem necessary to prevent, control and abate existing or potential pollution. In addition to opportunities to submit written statements or provide testimony at public hearings in support of or in opposition to proposed rulemakings as required by section 536.021 , any person who submits written comments or oral testimony on a proposed rule shall, at any public meeting to vote on an order of rulemaking or other commission policy, have the opportunity to respond to the proposed order of rulemaking or department of natural resources' response to comments to the extent that such response is limited to issues raised in oral or written comments made during the public notice comment period or public hearing on the proposed rule;

(9) Issue, modify or revoke orders prohibiting or abating discharges of water contaminants into the waters of the state or adopting other remedial measures to prevent, control or abate pollution;

(10) Administer state and federal grants and loans to municipalities and political subdivisions for the planning and construction of sewage treatment works;

(11) Hold such hearings, issue such notices of hearings and subpoenas requiring the attendance of such witnesses and the production of such evidence, administer such oaths, and take such testimony as the commission deems necessary or as required by any federal water pollution control act. Any of these powers may be exercised on behalf of the commission by any members thereof or a hearing officer designated by it;

(12) Require the prior submission of plans and specifications, or other data including the quantity and types of water contaminants, and inspect the construction of treatment facilities and sewer systems or any part thereof in connection with the issuance of such permits or approval as are required by sections 644.006 to 644.141 , except that manholes and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe used for gravity sewers and with a diameter no greater than twenty-seven inches shall not be required to be tested for leakage;

(13) Issue, continue in effect, revoke, modify or deny, under such conditions as it may prescribe, to prevent, control or abate pollution or any violations of sections 644.006 to 644.141 or any federal water pollution control act, permits for the discharge of water contaminants into the waters of this state, and for the installation, modification or operation of treatment facilities, sewer systems or any parts thereof. Such permit conditions, in addition to all other requirements of this subdivision, shall ensure compliance with all effluent regulations or limitations, water quality related effluent limitations, national standards of performance and toxic and pretreatment effluent standards, and all requirements and time schedules thereunder as established by sections 644.006 to 644.141 and any federal water pollution control act; however, no permit shall be required of any person for any emission into publicly owned treatment facilities or into publicly owned sewer systems tributary to publicly owned treatment works;

(14) Establish permits by rule. Such permits shall only be available for those facilities or classes of facilities that control potential water contaminants that pose a reduced threat to public health or the environment and that are in compliance with commission water quality standards rules, effluent rules or rules establishing permits by rule. Such permits by rule shall have the same legal standing as other permits issued pursuant to this chapter. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the commission from requiring a site-specific permit or a general permit for individual facilities;

(15) Require proper maintenance and operation of treatment facilities and sewer systems and proper disposal of residual waste from all such facilities and systems;

(16) Exercise all incidental powers necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 644.006 to 644.141 , assure that the state of Missouri complies with any federal water pollution control act, retains maximum control thereunder and receives all desired federal grants, aid and benefits;

(17) Establish effluent and pretreatment and toxic material control regulations to further the purposes of sections 644.006 to 644.141 and as required to ensure compliance with all effluent limitations, water quality-related effluent limitations, national standards of performance and toxic and pretreatment effluent standards, and all requirements and any time schedules thereunder, as established by any federal water pollution control act for point sources in this state, and where necessary to prevent violation of water quality standards of this state;

(18) Prohibit all discharges of radiological, chemical, or biological warfare agent or high-level radioactive waste into waters of this state;

(19) Require that all publicly owned treatment works or facilities which receive or have received grants or loans from the state or the federal government for construction or improvement make all charges required by sections 644.006 to 644.141 or any federal water pollution control act for use and recovery of capital costs, and the operating authority for such works or facility is hereby authorized to make any such charges;

(20) Represent the state of Missouri in all matters pertaining to interstate water pollution including the negotiation of interstate compacts or agreements;

(21) Develop such facts and make such investigations as are consistent with the purposes of sections 644.006 to 644.141 , and, in connection therewith, to enter or authorize any representative of the commission to enter at all reasonable times and upon reasonable notice in or upon any private or public property for any purpose required by any federal water pollution control act or sections 644.006 to 644.141 for the purpose of developing rules, regulations, limitations, standards, or permit conditions, or inspecting or investigating any records required to be kept by sections 644.006 to 644.141 or any permit issued pursuant to sections 644.006 to 644.141 , any condition which the commission or director has probable cause to believe to be a water contaminant source or the site of any suspected violation of sections 644.006 to 644.141 , regulations, standards, or limitations, or permits issued pursuant to sections 644.006 to 644.141 . The results of any such investigation shall be reduced to writing, and shall be furnished to the owner or operator of the property. No person shall refuse entry or access, requested for the purposes of inspection pursuant to this subdivision, to an authorized representative in carrying out the inspection. A suitably restricted search warrant, upon a showing of probable cause in writing and upon oath, shall be issued by any judge or associate circuit judge having jurisdiction to any representative for the purpose of enabling him or her to make such inspection. Information obtained pursuant to this section shall be available to the public unless it constitutes trade secrets or confidential information, other than effluent data, of the person from whom it is obtained, except when disclosure is required pursuant to any federal water pollution control act;

(22) Retain, employ, provide for, and compensate, within appropriations available therefor, such consultants, assistants, deputies, clerks and other employees on a full- or part-time basis as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of sections 644.006 to 644.141 and prescribe the times at which they shall be appointed and their powers and duties;

(23) Secure necessary scientific, technical, administrative and operation services, including laboratory facilities, by contract or otherwise, with any educational institution, experiment station, or any board, department, or other agency of any political subdivision of the state or the federal government;

(24) Require persons owning or engaged in operations which do or could discharge water contaminants, or introduce water contaminants or pollutants of a quality and quantity to be established by the commission, into any publicly owned treatment works or facility, to provide and maintain any facilities and conduct any tests and monitoring necessary to establish and maintain records and to file reports containing information relating to measures to prevent, lessen or render any discharge less harmful or relating to rate, period, composition, temperature, and quality and quantity of the effluent, and any other information required by any federal water pollution control act or the director, and to make them public, except as provided in subdivision (21) of this section. The commission shall develop and adopt such procedures for inspection, investigation, testing, sampling, monitoring and entry respecting water contaminant and point sources as may be required for approval of such a program pursuant to any federal water pollution control act;

(25) Take any action necessary to implement continuing planning processes and areawide waste treatment management as established pursuant to any federal water pollution control act or sections 644.006 to 644.141 ;

(26) Exercise general supervision of the department as the sole designated state agency with authority to administer the federal Clean Water Act in the state of Missouri, which shall include authority to approve any stream or wetland mitigation used in connection with any Section 401 water quality certification.

2. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to this chapter shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to chapter 536 .

(L. 1972 S.B. 424, A.L. 1973 S.B. 259, S.B. 321, A.L. 1987 H.B. 497, A.L. 1993 S.B. 52, A.L. 1995 S.B. 3, A.L. 2000 S.B. 741, A.L. 2012 H.B. 1251, A.L. 2014 S.B. 642) CROSS REFERENCE: Additional duties and powers of commission, Chap. 256