Nevada State Library and Archives

CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES, DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
BUREAU OF WATER POLLUTION CONTROL

The 1973 Nevada State Legislature enacted Chapter 786 on May 3, 1973, the Water Pollution Control Law.  Nevada’s first water pollution control law (now Chapter 445A of the Nevada Revised Statutes [NRS]) declared Nevada’s public policy was to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of water within the state; to prevent, reduce and eliminate pollution; to plan development and use, including restoration, preservation, and enhancement of land and water resources; and to consult and otherwise cooperate with other states, state and interstate agencies, and the Federal Government in carrying out these objectives.

The power to enact and enforce this law was delegated to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (hereafter referred to as the Department) and the Department of Health, Welfare and Rehabilitation.  The Director of the Department was charged with:

• Administering and enforcing provisions of the act, rules and regulations originated by the Environmental Protection Commission, and orders and permits issued by the Department,
• Examining and approving or disapproving plans and specifications for construction and operation by a political subdivision of new sewage systems and treatment works and extensions and modifications,
• Advising, consulting and cooperating with other agencies,
• Applying for, accepting, and administering loans and grants from the Federal Government and other sources,
• Developing comprehensive plans and programs for preventing, reducing, or eliminating pollution,
• Certifying all costs and expenditures for any facility, land, building, machinery, or treatment works which are required to be constructed under provisions of this act and,
• Delegating any function or authority granted to him under this act.

This legislation reorganized the Department and added the Environmental Protection Commission Division (hereafter referred to as the EPC).  The Director’s responsibilities Under the Water Pollution Control Act were delegated to the EPC.

Chapter 786 was amended by the 1977 Nevada State Legislature under Chapter 529, An Act Relating to Governmental Agencies, Reorganizing Certain of Those Which Deal with Energy and the Use and Conservation of Natural Resources, etc.  Slight changes were made to the Director’s duties.  The biggest change was the elimination of the Department of Human Resources (formerly, the Department of Health, Welfare and Rehabilitation) from administration of the Water Pollution Control Law.  The law has been amended and added on to several times since.

The Bureau of Water Pollution Control (WPC) within the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Environmental Protection is responsible carrying out most of the responsibilities for water pollution control.  In particular, WPC conducts all subdivision reviews and approvals, and evaluates appropriate aspects such as the capacity of the public water system to serve the proposed development.  “Subdivision” is defined as any land, vacant or unimproved, which is divided or proposed to be divided into five or more parcels, lots, sites, or plots for the purpose of any transfer or development.

In 1989 the state created an account to finance the construction of treatment works and implement pollution control projects that would enable the state to receive its maximum share of federal money available from the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.).  WPC administers these federal grants and loans to local governments and developments for construction of projects such as local waste water treatment plants.  Construction is defined as preliminary planning to determine the feasibility of treatment works or pollution control projects; engineering, architectural, legal, fiscal or economic investigations or studies, surveys, etc which comply with the requirements of the federal legislation; or necessary actions including erection, building, acquisition, alteration, remodeling, improvement or extension of treatment works or pollution control projects.

Records
Records of the Bureau of Water Pollution Control date from 1977-1993 and consist of 7 cubic feet.  They are divided into seven series.

Subdivisions     1986-1993  2 cu. ft.
This series contains correspondence to subdividers, certifying those developments or not as to whether the plans are in compliance with water pollution and sewage disposal regulations.  Arranged chronologically.

Reader Files     1986-1992     2 cu. ft.
Correspondence from Grants Construction officers regarding the awarding, implementation, and administration of grants.  Arranged chronologically.

Construction Grant Priority Lists     FY1977-FY1988     1 cu. ft.
The federal government awards funds to the Nevada Environmental Protection Commission to regrant to local communities and projects to construct water and sewage treatment plant facilities.  Organizations apply for grants yearly; the applications are then ranked in priority order by the Commission grant office.  The priority list documents contain applicant name, permit number, grant and project numbers, project description, target date of completion, and costs.  Policy statements, Nevada and EPA agreements, and correspondence are also included.  Arranged chronologically.

Enforcement Branch     1992-1993   .3 cu. ft.
Correspondence regarding work plans and project reports submitted by utilities/contractors of water control projects.  Arranged chronologically.

Permits Branch     1991-1993   .6 cu. ft.
Correspondence regarding issuing of permits for water projects and inspection reports.  Also included is correspondence from Permits Officers Leo Drozdoff and Albert Porta.  Arranged chronologically.