Ocean and Coastal Law Enforcement:
Enforcing Ocean Water Quality Standards

In the final installment of a three-part focus series on Ocean and Coastal Law Enforcement, this seminar explored the enforcement of ocean water quality standards. The ocean is the ultimate receptacle for myriad sources of land-based pollution - regardless of their point of origin, contaminants ranging from heavy metals and petroleum products to fertilizers and pharmaceutical compounds enter terrestrial watersheds and find their way to the sea. Once in the ocean, these harmful pollutants contribute to algal blooms and dead zones, ocean acidification and coral reef die-off, and the accumulation of massive garbage patches in ocean gyres around the globe. To successfully combat these far-reaching impacts, effective enforcement of water quality laws and regulations is crucial.

This panel convened experts to discuss existing challenges, opportunities, and successes in enforcing water quality standards in the marine environment.

MODERATOR:

• Bruce Myers, Senior Attorney, Environmental Law Institute

PANELISTS:

• Richard S. Davis, Principal, Beveridge & Diamond, PC
• Loren Denton, Chief, Municipal Enforcement Branch, Water Enforcement Division, U.S. EPA
• George Hawkins, General Manager, DC Water and Sewer Authority
• Christopher M. Kilian, Vice President and Director, Conservation Law Foundation Vermont; Director, Clean Water and Healthy Forests

MATERIALS:

• Seminar summary (PDF)
• Speaker bios (PDF)
• Presentation - Christopher M. Kilian (PDF)
• Event recording (audio - MP3)

The 2012 Ocean Seminar Series is generously supported by
the Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation.

Click here for more information on ELI's Ocean Seminar Series