Clean Water Act Grants

During the 1993 reorganization of Oklahoma’s environmental agencies, the Office of the Secretary of Environment was established by state statute to serve, among other things, as the primary recipient of Federal Water Pollution Control Act (“Clean Water Act”) grant funds in Oklahoma. In 2013, the Secretary of Environment and Secretary of Energy offices were combined.  The role of recipient of Clean Water Act funding provides the Secretary of Energy & Environment with a unique opportunity, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, to ensure that state agencies’ water quality management activities are well coordinated and of high quality.

Funding is delivered to the Oklahoma Secretary of Energy & Environment (OSEE) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through four distinct grant programs defined by the section of the CWA in which each is established.  Those are:

  • Section 104(b)(3) – Wetlands Program
  • Section 106 – Surface and Ground Water
  • Section 106 – Supplemental Monitoring Program
  • Section 319(h) – Nonpoint Source Pollution
  • Section 604(b) – Water Quality Management Program

Funds are disbursed to state agencies, as subrecipients,  based on its statutory duties and responsibilities relating to environmental areas, with the exception of the 104(b)(3) wetlands which is a competitive grant.  As the grant recipient, OSEE is responsible for coordinating grant applications and awards, assuring grant and work plan obligations are met, tracking funds and disbursing same as work is accomplished and submitting required reports to EPA.

OSEE submits an annual report to the state legislature summarizing CWA grant program activity for the previous federal fiscal year (link to FFY 2014 report).

For information and reports on specific projects, please see listed agencies in column to the left.

INCOG

Indian Nation Councel of Governments

The Environmental and Engineering Services Division of INCOG helps local governments manage clean water programs.  It uses CWA funding to perform waste load allocations, stream total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and other specialized water quality studies for member governments.

Learn more at www.incog.org.

ACOG

Association of Central Oklahoma Governments

ACOG’s Water Resources Division helps local governments to maximize the use of ground and surface water resources. This includes planning, management, protection and research of potable water supplies. CWA funding is used for groundwater management and protection and surface water management.

Learn more at www.acogok.org.

Conservation Commission

The Oklahoma Conservation Commission’s Water Quality Division is responsible for identifying waters impaired by nonpoint source pollution, which is pollution that comes from multiple sources, such as pesticides, fertilizers, sediment, and animal waste. Once problems are identified, they work to prioritize and implement projects to reduce the pollutants and improve water quality. OCC is also Oklahoma’s lead technical agency for wetlands.

Learn more at www.ok.gov/conservation.

ODAFF

Oklahoma Department of Agraculture, Food, and Forestry

The Oklahoma Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Act [2 O.S. § 20-12(F)(2)] and its implementing regulations [OAC 35:17-3-11(e)(6) (H)] both require that the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF) annually sample monitoring wells at swine Licensed Managed Feeding Operations (LMFOs). Clean Water Act funds allow for the collection of groundwater samples at monitoring wells of LMFOs and a review of the analyzed data for indication of possible pollution. Determining the sources of pollutants in groundwater will aid ODAFF in assessing whether LMFOs negatively affect nearby groundwater quality and what actions are necessary to address such pollution.

Learn more at www.oda.state.ok.us.

OWRB

Oklahoma Water Resources Board

Oklahoma’s Water Quality Standards (WQS) were adopted by Oklahoma in accordance with the federal Clean Water Act, applicable federal regulations, and state pollution control and administrative procedure statutes. OWRB is the lead agency for WQS and use CWA funds to develop and establish those standards to ensure water quality protection across the state. CWA funds are also used to perform water quality monitoring on surface waters and for lake restoration projects.

Learn more at www.owrb.ok.gov.

ODEQ

Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality

ODEQ is the lead state agency on drinking water, with substantial jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act for discharges, TMDLs and water quality assessments. The Water Quality Division includes programs for public water supplies as well as municipal and industrial water pollution control. They provide training and certification for drinking water and municipal wastewater operators. The Division reviews and processes all plans and specifications for water and wastewater facilities, as well as applications for water and wastewater program permits and licenses, including the licensing and regulation of septic tank cleaners.

Learn more at www.deq.state.ok.us.