INTRODUCTION Regulations concerning ground water have been greatly expanded in the past decade@ both at the state and federal levels. At the federal level@ ground-water quality is regulated under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act)@ the Toxic Substances Control Act@ the Comprehensive Environmental Response@ Compensation@ and Liability Act of 1980 (Superfund)@ the Safe Drinking Water Act@ and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Such a diversity of regulations@ even at the federal level has led to numerous levels of ground-water protection@ both use- and site-specific. However@ regulations have not been made under a unified framework. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of developing a groundwater protection policy which will provide for such a unified framework. Currently@ there exists a number of reviews of ground-water standards: State of the States: Water Resources Planning and Management: Ground-water Supplement@ May 1981@ and Fiscal Year 1981 Update@ September 1981 published by the U.S. Water Resources Council. This update provides a status report on the development of regulations within the states but does not provide specifics on the state regulations. Another document@ Groundwater Contamination in the United States@ in preparation by the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences@ contains substantial information on the occurrence@ use@ and quality of ground water in the United States. Standards are discussed in detail for a number of states@ but the information is not comprehensive for all the states. The American Petroleum Institute recognized the need for a publication which would provide specific information for every state in a readily updatable format. To this end@ Ecological Analysts@ Inc. was retained to develop an initial survey of the basic information on federal and state regulations concerning the use and protection of ground water. Much of the information discussed in this guide??particularly aquifer classification and ground-water quality standards??may ultimately be impacted through EPA's finalization of the ground-water protection policy. EPA's interim final regulations for land disposal of hazardous waste have just taken effect (26 January 1983)@ and many states are now in the process of obtaining authorization to implement state programs. EPA has not yet finalized all requirements for the development of Underground Injection Control programs under the Safe Drinking Water Act. It is clear@ therefore@ that ground-water regulations will be in a state of flux for the next several years. The information provided in this guide is based on regulations effective January 1983. The current status of groundwater standards in each state should be investigated before making final environmental management decisions. The Guide to Ground-Water Standards of the United States is comprised of two parts. The first part@ Sections 1 through 4@ contains an overview of technical and regulatory concepts and terminology@ and a summary of the federal programs which provide the basis for the state regulations. The second part@ Section 5@ provides alphabetically arranged summaries for each of the states and territories.
API PUBL 4366-1983 history
1983API PUBL 4366-1983 GUIDE TO GROUND-WATER STANDARDS OF THE UNITED STATES