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       EPA's Clean Water Act Section 404(c): Veto Authority  Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act      authorizes EPA to restrict or prohibit the use of an area as a disposal      site for dredged or fill material if the discharge will have unacceptable      adverse effects on municipal water supplies, shellfish beds and fishery      areas, wildlife or recreational areas. The process is shown to the right.      
Because Section 404(c) actions have mostly been taken in response to        unresolved permit applications, this type of action is frequently referred        to as an EPA "veto" of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit. EPA has        completed only 11 "veto" actions out of an estimated 150,000 permit applications        received since the regulations went into effect in October 1979.

An EPA Regional Administrator initiates the action if he or she determines        that the impact of a proposed permit activity is likely to result in
- significant degradation of municipal water supplies (including surface          or ground water) or |
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