Opinion ID: 780833
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Statutory Authority for the Minimum Measures

Text: 51 The Municipal Petitioners contend that, even if constitutional, the Minimum Measures of the General Permit option exceed EPA's statutory authority under § 402(p). Petitioners argue that nothing in the statute confers authority on EPA to require small MS4 operators to regulate third parties as a condition of receiving a permit, and that EPA's contrary interpretation is so constitutionally questionable that it is not entitled to Chevron deference. See Solid Waste Agency v. Army Corps of Engineers, 531 U.S. 159, 172-73, 121 S.Ct. 675, 148 L.Ed.2d 576 (2001). EPA argues that the nonexclusive list of statutory elements in § 402(p)(6) cannot be said to exclude a non-listed element, and that EPA's interpretation that the statute allows the Minimum Measures is thus reasonable and entitled to deference. 52 We agree that EPA's adoption of the Minimum Measures represents a permissible interpretation of its authority under § 402(p)(6). See Chevron, 467 U.S. at 843-44, 104 S.Ct. 2778. The Rule does not violate the Tenth Amendment and the Measures are not inconsistent with the language or structure of § 402(p) or any other part of the Clean Water Act. 53