Opinion ID: 440158
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: TMDL's

Text: 11 The complaint also alleges that the EPA has unlawfully failed to promulgate TMDL's for discharges of pollutants into Lake Michigan. This allegation is of the kind, we believe, for which the citizen's suit was designed. 12 A TMDL establishes a maximum daily discharge of pollutants into a waterway. A TMDL must be obeyed even if a monthly allowable average could be achieved in the face of some daily discharges above the TMDL. The process of promulgating TMDL's also involves federal-state cooperation. CWA Sec. 303(d)(1), 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1313(d)(1), requires each state to develop TMDL's for those waters within its boundaries where water quality standards will not be achieved by application of technology-based limitations. CWA Sec. 303(d) required Illinois and Indiana to submit TMDL's within 180 days of December 28, 1978. 10 See, CWA Sec. 304(a)(2)(D), 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1314(a)(2)(D). After receiving a state submission, the following statutory scheme becomes operative: 13 The Administrator shall either approve or disapprove such identification and load not later than thirty days after the date of submission. If the Administrator approves such identification and load, such State shall incorporate them into its current plan under subsection (e) of this section. If the Administrator disapproves such identification and load, he shall not later than thirty days after the date of such disapproval identify such waters in such State and establish such loads for such waters as he determines necessary to implement the water quality standards applicable to such waters and upon identification and establishment the State shall incorporate them into its current plan under subsection (e) of this section. 14 CWA Sec. 303(d)(2), 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1313(d)(2). The district court agreed with the EPA that the EPA is not required to act unless and until the state submits a proposed TMDL. 15 We disagree with the conclusion of the district court. We believe that, if a state fails over a long period of time to submit proposed TMDL's, this prolonged failure may amount to the constructive submission by that state of no TMDL's. Our view of the case is quite simple, and tracks the statutory scheme set up by Congress. The EPA, in 1978, took the first step by identifying the pollutants for which TMDL's were suitable. CWA Sec. 304(a)(2)(D), 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1314(a)(2)(D). The states were then required, within 180 days, to promulgate TMDL's for those waters defined in the statute. CWA Sec. 303(d)(2), 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1313(d)(2). The allegation of the complaint that no TMDL's are in place, coupled with the EPA's admission that the states have not made their submissions, raises the possibility that the states have determined that TMDL's for Lake Michigan are unnecessary. If the district court agrees with our analysis that in this case the delay by the states may amount to the constructive submission of no TMDL's, then the EPA would be under a duty to either approve or disapprove the submission. 11 If the EPA approves, as Part II of this opinion clearly indicates, the next step for a dissatisfied party would be to seek judicial review of the EPA's action. If the EPA disapproves, it then presumably would be under a mandatory duty to issue its own TMDL's. 16 None of the EPA's arguments against the existence of this statutory duty are compelling. The EPA claims that Congress did not intend that the EPA establish TMDL's if the states chose not to act. We think it unlikely that an important aspect of the federal scheme of water pollution control could be frustrated by the refusal of states to act. This is especially true in light of the short time limits both on a state's action, and on the EPA's required reaction to the state submissions, with respect to promulgation of TMDL's. Based on its consideration of the importance of water pollution control, the Supreme Court has rejected an argument similar to the one EPA makes here respecting the states' role in pollution control. E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co. v. Train, 430 U.S. 112, 133-34 & n. 24, 97 S.Ct. 965, 977-78 & n. 24, 51 L.Ed.2d 204 (1977). The Court, in construing the CWA to grant the EPA broad power, wrote, We do not believe that Congress would have failed so conspicuously to provide EPA with the authority needed to achieve the statutory goals. Id. Similarly, we do not believe that Congress intended that the states by inaction could prevent the implementation of TMDL's. 12 17 The EPA also makes a statutory construction argument with respect to the CWA. The EPA points out that in several instances in the CWA the statute explicitly requires the EPA [to] intercede in the absence of state action. Brief for Appellees at 20. E.g. CWA Sec. 303(b)(1), 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1313(b)(1) (EPA must set water quality standards when state fails to act). Thus, we are urged to find, by negative implication, a Congressional intent here to rely exclusively on the states to set the TMDL machinery in motion because there is no explicit CWA requirement on the EPA to act in the absence of state action. But we do not find this argument persuasive on the facts before us since we think the states' inaction here, in view of the short statutory deadlines, may have ripened into a refusal to act. A refusal to act would amount to a determination that no TMDL is necessary and none should be provided. In effect, we may have a constructive submission of no TMDL's. As a matter of law, under CWA Sec. 303(d)(2), 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1313(d)(2), a state determination to set no TMDL's must be reviewed by the EPA, and the EPA is then required to approve or disapprove the submission. If EPA disapproves, it must set its own TMDL's. Id. If the district court determines that the states have made a constructive submission of no TMDL's, the failure of the EPA to act would amount to failure to perform a nondiscretionary duty and is properly raised by this complaint. 18 In addition, we think that the CWA should be liberally construed to achieve its objectives--in this case to impose a duty on the EPA to establish TMDL's when the states have defaulted by refusal to act over a long period. See E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co. v. Train, 430 U.S. at 134, 97 S.Ct. at 978; Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. Costle, 564 F.2d 573, 577-78 (D.C.Cir.1977). We cannot allow the states' refusal to act to defeat the intent of Congress that TMDL's be established promptly--in accordance with the timetable provided in the statute. In addition, to construe the relevant statute as the EPA urges would apparently render it wholly ineffective. There is, of course, a strong presumption against such a construction. 19 Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. v. Costle, 657 F.2d 275, 295 (D.C.Cir.1981) is not to the contrary. That case merely holds that the EPA has no duty to act before the deadline for state submission of proposed TMDL's. That holding has no application here, where the EPA has failed to act years after the state deadline for submissions has passed. The statute undoubtedly imposes mandatory duties on both the states and the EPA. See 2 K.C. Davis, Administrative Law Treatise Sec. 9:5 at 235 (2d ed. 1979). If the district court is persuaded that the states have determined not to act, the EPA cannot rely on the states' default to excuse a default of its own. 20 We believe that more than enough time has passed since Congress prescribed promulgation of TMDL's. The statutory time limits demonstrate that Congress anticipated that the entire process would take a relatively short time after the passage of the 1972 amendments. 13 The EPA's inaction appears to be tantamount to approval of state decisions that TMDL's are unneeded. State inaction amounting to a refusal to act should not stand in the way of successfully achieving the goals of federal anti-pollution policy. Thus, the dismissal of the TMDL claim was erroneous.