AISI supports the national goal of providing fishable and swimmable waters. The steel industry will continue to do its fair share in moving the nation closer to that goal. At the same time, it must be recognized that bodies of water have multiple uses, and each use has unique social, economic, and environmental attributes. Local control and regulatory flexibility should be essential elements of the nation's clean water program.
States know best.
The States should continue to have the responsibility for designating uses and associated quality standards for waters within their respective jurisdictions. When regulating water within their authority, States should be allowed to take into account the presence of naturally occurring pollutants, the sensitivity of indigenous species, and the social and economic impacts of setting water quality standards, all from an informed, local perspective. Dischargers should be allowed to select the most cost-effective and innovative approach, whether by process change or waste treatment. Any reauthorization of the Clean Water Act should also provide flexibility with respect to intake credits, risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis, and other means of eliminating redundant treatment requirements. Promulgation of water quality standards and the criteria on which they are based need to take into account relevant risks associated with regulatory options.