California's Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program (State NPS Program) provides a coordinated statewide approach to reducing NPS pollution, also known as polluted stormwater runoff. This program addresses federal requirements for the state to manage polluted runoff under both the Clean Water Act and the Coastal Zone Management Act. Section 6217 of the federal Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments of 1990 (CZARA) requires each coastal state to develop and implement a Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program to reduce polluted runoff to coastal waters. California has integrated CZARA’s coastal NPS pollution control requirements into the state’s existing statewide NPS Program.
The lead State agencies responsible for implementing the State NPS Program are the State Water Resources Control Board (designated as the lead water quality agency) and the California Coastal Commission (designated as the lead coastal zone management agency), along with the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards. (See the Memorandum of Understanding between the State Water Resources Control Board and the California Coastal Commission (2000) to co-lead the State NPS Program.)
The California's Critical Coastal Areas (CCA) Program aims to foster collaborations among local stakeholders and government agencies to protect marine and estuarine waters designated by the state as having high resource value from polluted runoff flowing from adjacent coastal watersheds. The online CCA Map Viewer shows the locations of each CCA, plus relevant information on pollutants, coastal watersheds, designated high resource-value waters, and government jurisdictions.
The Marinas Interagency Coordinating Committee (MIACC) hosts an annual public forum and provides webpage resources for stakeholder groups and government agencies to share information on preventing pollution resulting from marinas and recreational boating.
