§319 Program Overview

Summary

The Clean Water Act §319 requires States to form a Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program and authorizes Congress to provide funds to the States.

Contents

• §319 Overview
• §319 Grant Guidance
• §319 Guideline Revisions

Resources

• §319 Quick Information Sheet

  The NPS Program's two-page §319 information sheet.

• 303(d) Impaired Streams List

  Fulfills the reporting requirements under the federal Clean Water Act, Section 303(d) to provide a list of impaired waters and Section 305(b) to provide an overall assessment of WV's waters.

• NPS Management Plan

  West Virginia's NPS Management Plan

• Pollutant Load Estimation Techniques

  A pollutant load is the mass or weight of pollutant transported in a specified unit of time from pollutant sources to a waterbody.

• Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)

  A Total Maximum Daily Load is a plan of action used to clean up streams that are not meeting water quality standards.

• Watershed Based Plans (WBP)

  Development of a watershed based plan is the key step in the efforts to restore our rivers and streams from the impacts of nonpoint sources of pollution.

• Watershed Protection Plans (WPP)

  A watershed protection plan is a document designed to encourage current and future protection of water resources that are not impaired.

§319 Grant Guidance

The purpose of the manuals are to provide guidance on the development and submittal of proposals for CWA §319 watershed project proposals. WV's NPS Program administers §319 grants, which are awarded by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Region III. The grants are dedicated to projects that seek solutions to nonpoint source pollution. The manuals provides information on project eligibility, submittal and evaluation.

We strongly encourage organizations eligible and qualified for §319 funds to work with your regional Basin Coordinator to develop a sound funding proposal. AGO proposals are accepted following an announcement, which can occur periodically. Watershed funding proposals are accepted annually on or before May 1st.

Guidance Documents

• §319 Watershed Project Grant Guidance

  This guide describes in detail, successful methods and procedures used to implement watershed projects.

• §319 AGO Guidance

  Additional Grant Opportunities (AGOs) can focus on nonpoint issues in water bodies that may not be impaired or provide monies for special projects not typically funded through watershed project grants.

§319 Guideline Revisions

Clean Water Act Section 319(h) funds are provided only to designated state and tribal agencies to implement their approved nonpoint source management programs. State and tribal nonpoint source programs include a variety of components, including technical assistance, financial assistance, education, training, technology transfer, demonstration projects, and regulatory programs. Each year, EPA awards §319 funds to states in accordance with a state-by-state allocation formula that EPA has developed in consultation with the states.

§319 funding decisions are made by the states. States submit their proposed funding plans to EPA. If a state’s funding plan is consistent with grant eligibility requirements and procedures, EPA then awards the funds to the state.

In May of 2024 EPA published the revised §319 guidelines. These guidelines apply to grants made with funds appropriated by Congress under §319 of the CWA in Fiscal Year 2025 and subsequent years. They replace the Nonpoint Source Program and Grants Guidelines for States and Territories that have been in effect since the FY 2014 grant cycle.

§319 Resources

• EPA: 319 Grant: Current Guidance

  Each year, EPA awards Section 319(h) funds to states in accordance with a state-by-state allocation formula that EPA has developed in consultation with the states.

• §319 of the Clean Water Act

  The 1987 amendments to the Clean Water Act (CWA) established the Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program. Section 319 addresses the need for greater federal leadership to help focus state and local nonpoint source efforts.

• NPS Management Plan

  ​​​Clean Water Act §319 guidelines require that all State NPS Programs revise their Nonpoint Program management plan every five-years.​