Antidegradation

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-001821",
  "term": "Antidegradation",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. A policy to ensure the protection of water quality for a particular water body where the water quality exceeds levels necessary to protect fish and wildlife propagation and recreation on and in the water. This also includes special protection of waters designated as outstanding natural resource waters. Antidegradation plans are adopted by each state to minimize adverse effects on water.\n\n2. Policy developed and adopted as part of a state’s water quality standards that ensures protection of existing uses and maintains the existing level of water quality where that water quality exceeds levels necessary to protect fish and wildlife propagation and recreation on and in the water. This policy also includes special protection of water designated as Outstanding National Resource Waters.\n\n3. Policies that ensure protection of existing uses and of water quality for a particular waterbody where the water quality exceeds levels necessary to protect fish and wildlife propagation and recreation on and in the water. Antidegradation also includes special protection of waters designated as outstanding national resource waters. Antidegradation plans are adopted by each state to minimize adverse effects on water. 40 CFR 131.12. [EPA 833-B-96-003]\n\n4. Policies which ensure protection of water quality for a particular water body where the water quality exceeds levels necessary to protect fish and wildlife propagation and recreation on and in the water. This also includes existing instream water uses and the level of water quality necessary to protect the existing uses shall be maintained and protected.\n\n5. A policy developed and adopted as part of a state’s water quality standards that ensures protection of existing uses and maintains the existing level of water quality where that water quality exceeds levels necessary to protect fish and wildlife propagation and recreation on and in the water. This policy also includes special protection of water designated as Outstanding National Resource Waters.\n\n6. Policies that ensure protection of existing uses and of water quality for a particular waterbody where the water quality exceeds levels necessary to protect fish and wildlife propagation and recreation on and in the water. Antidegradation also includes special protection of waters designated as outstanding national resource waters. Antidegrada-tion plans are adopted by each state to minimize adverse effects on water. 40 CFR 131.12.\n\n7. Provisions in the federal Clean Water Act, codified at 40 CFR 131.12, which provide (1) a minimum level of protection for all surface waters; (2) requirements for alternatives analyses, intergovernmental coordination, and social or economic justification before allowing lowered water quality in high-quality waters; and (3) the highest level of protection for outstanding national resouce waters. State water quality standards must include both an antidegradation policy and methods for implementation.",
  "subject": "Water",
  "references": [
    "National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Glossary",
    "NPDES Permit Writers Glossary",
    "Water Quality Toolkit Glossary",
    "NSTEPS Glossary; N-STEPS Online Glossary of Terms",
    "NPDES Permit Writers Manual Glossary",
    "EPA 833-B-96-003",
    "Federal Land Management in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/antidegradation/"
}