Guam Feels Our Pain, Too

Published: Thursday, January 8, 2009 8:34 AM PST

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Add Guam to the same list that Hawaii was put on this week. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency refused Guam's request to exempt two sewage treatment plants there from federal Clean Water Act standards.

In a press release, the EPA said:

Both plants discharge treated wastewater that exceeds Territorial water quality standards for bacteria, which are designed to protect recreational activities such as swimming and fishing. The Guam Waterworks Authority also failed to provide information showing the discharges do not impair water quality.

That's the third waiver decision the EPA has issued since early December. Only San Diego's waiver request has been granted.

The waiver allows San Diego to continue discharging sewage into the Pacific Ocean without removing a federally required amount of crud. The EPA's decision must still be formally approved by the California Coastal Commission and the State Water Resources Control Board, the state's water pollution cops.

-- ROB DAVIS