EPA has released draft Nonpoint Source Program and Grants Guidelines for States and Territories for review and comment. The revised guidelines provide states and territories with a framework to use section 319 Clean Water Act grant funds to effectively implement their state nonpoint source management programs. The guidelines provide updated program direction, an increased emphasis on watershed project implementation in watersheds with impaired waters, and increased accountability measures.

President Obama recently issued Executive Order 13563, requiring each agency to develop a plan to periodically conduct a retrospective review of its regulations, and determine if they are ineffective, insufficient, or overly burdensome, and then revise or repeal as warranted. In response, EPA is developing a review plan and a list of candidate regulations for potential review, and it is soliciting feedback on both. In order to do so, the Office of Water is participating in two listening sessions to be held on March 14 and 17, 2011.