National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Compliance by Major Industrial Dischargers in Louisiana

GAO discussed how well certain major industrial dischargers in Louisiana have been complying with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, the principal means of controlling the nation's water pollution. GAO noted that: (1) permit noncompliance over a 45-month period was frequent and extensive; (2) compliance reporting to top Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) management does not fully disclose the frequency and severity of noncompliance problems; and (3) the EPA region's enforcement actions have little impact on abating noncompliance. Further, EPA reporting of only those dischargers that are in significant noncompliance with permit conditions incorrectly indicates that the noncompliance problem is not widespread. GAO concluded that noncompliance is widespread and frequent for both major municipal and industrial dischargers.