Opinion ID: 440158
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Scott's Complaint

Text: 2 Section 505(a)(2) of the Clean Water Act (the CWA), 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1365(a)(2), provides for citizen suits against the Administrator of the EPA where there is alleged a failure of the Administrator to perform any act or duty under this chapter which is not discretionary with the Administrator. 2 Scott invoked this section as part of his attempt to combat the discharge of raw and inadequately treated human fecal material into Lake Michigan from the Hammond, Indiana area along the shoreline. Complaint p 8. 3 3 Scott's complaint states two discrete grievances against the EPA. The first claim challenges the EPA's failure to prescribe a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for discharge of pollutants into Lake Michigan. 4 The second claim alleges that the EPA and its administrator are under a nondiscretionary duty to ensure that water quality standards adopted under the federal act 'protect the public health and welfare.'  Complaint p 27a (quoting CWA Sec. 303(c)(2), 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1313(c)(2)). The latter duty is being violated, it is alleged, because there are no water quality criteria for hazardous viruses and there is an inadequate standard for hazardous pathogenic bacteria. Both of these biological pollutants are contained in fecal matter which is discharged into Lake Michigan. 4