The Clean Water Act
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

This course will provide an overview of the Clean Water Act, one of the United States's foundational federal environmental laws. Beginning with background on the science of water pollution and history of water quality regulation, the course will introduce students to the factors that shaped the current contours of the law. This course introduces and examines the major provisions of the Clean Water Act, including the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), Section 404 dredge-and-fill permitting, and establishment of water quality standards and the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program. In addition to examining the Act's individual provisions, we will discuss ongoing legal developments, assess the impacts of the law, and engage with critiques of the Clean Water Act's shortcomings.