The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is today amending its regulations that establish the conditions for States seeking EPA approval to operate sewage sludge permit programs pursuant to the Clean Water Act (CWA). Existing requirements were modeled on the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements for EPA authorization of State wastewater effluent discharge programs. Many States, however, manage sewage sludge through State solid waste programs that are often structured quite differently from the NPDES programs. As a result, existing State sewage sludge programs would require significant changes for EPA approval under the current requirements. EPA is eager for States with well-run sewage sludge management programs to obtain approval to operate their own permit programs under the CWA without having to make unnecessary administrative and programmatic changes unrelated to protection of public health and the environment. Consequently, today's changes streamline the current regulations to ease the authorization process for States. These changes will provide flexibility to States in implementing their permit programs, and, at the same time, ensure that permitting determinations are based on environmental and public health considerations.