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In the US, the Clean Water Act covers thermal pollution (well, "thermal discharges"), and based on the language it looks like the provisions have been present s

In the US, the Clean Water Act covers thermal pollution (well, "thermal discharges"), and based on the language it looks like the provisions have been present since 1972. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/33/1326.html http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/33/1326.html Actually I'm a bit surprised this isn't that well known with the recent focus on nuclear power, since thermal pollution and cooling system intakes that kill fish have been a minor source of controversy for some plants, including Indian Point and Vermont Yankee. Recent news on the latter: http://vermont4evolution.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/anr-to-review-vermont-yankee%E2%80%99s-water-discharge-permit/ http://vermont4evolution.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/anr-to-rev... And just for convenience here are the first few results off Google for thermal pollution: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_pollution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_pollution http://www.pollutionissues.com/Te-Un/Thermal-Pollution.html http://www.pollutionissues.com/Te-Un/Thermal-Pollution.html http://www.rpi.edu/dept/chem-eng/Biotech-Environ/Environmental/THERMAL/tte1.htm http://www.rpi.edu/dept/chem-eng/Biotech-Environ/Environment...

ghshephard 15y ago
Thanks - I think it's important to note that the citations you mentioned don't treat the discharge as "Pollution", per se, but instead discuss what the impacts of the discharge is. That is, there's no limit on what you can discharge (as there is with pollution), but instead a limitation on the damage you can do to the local ecosystem. I'd be interested in knowing if any country has adapted statutes with regards to treating thermal discharges as pollutants that need to be regulated. I'm guessing, based mostly on the pre-existing scale of heat loading from the sun, that thermal discharges are not considered to be a pollutant by any country, and you are free to discharge as much of it as you want, just as long as you don't damage the fish/shellfish/wildlife in the area. This also suggests if there are no fish/shellfish/wildlife in your discharge area, you are free to discharge as much as you want.
- rayiner 15y ago
  The EPA defines "pollutant" for the purposes of the Clean Water Act as: Pollutant means dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, filter backwash, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials... heat... 14 C.F.R. § 122.2 (definition of "pollutant"). EPA discharge permits, which are required to discharge any pollutant in any amount into US waters, certainly do regulate thermal discharges.
- jgamman 15y ago
  not treated as a pollutant but NZ runs a 'consenting' regime and one of them is to do with the power station (huntley) on one of the main rivers (the waikato) - it is only allowed to operate so as to maintain a temperature window on the river. this is complicated by the fact that the river flowrate (hence volume) is bounded by a consent with a different company that operates the hydroelectric system...

ghshephard 15y ago

Thanks - I think it's important to note that the citations you mentioned don't treat the discharge as "Pollution", per se, but instead discuss what the impacts of the discharge is. That is, there's no limit on what you can discharge (as there is with pollution), but instead a limitation on the damage you can do to the local ecosystem. I'd be interested in knowing if any country has adapted statutes with regards to treating thermal discharges as pollutants that need to be regulated. I'm guessing, based mostly on the pre-existing scale of heat loading from the sun, that thermal discharges are not considered to be a pollutant by any country, and you are free to discharge as much of it as you want, just as long as you don't damage the fish/shellfish/wildlife in the area. This also suggests if there are no fish/shellfish/wildlife in your discharge area, you are free to discharge as much as you want.

rayiner 15y ago
The EPA defines "pollutant" for the purposes of the Clean Water Act as: Pollutant means dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, filter backwash, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials... heat... 14 C.F.R. § 122.2 (definition of "pollutant"). EPA discharge permits, which are required to discharge any pollutant in any amount into US waters, certainly do regulate thermal discharges.
jgamman 15y ago
not treated as a pollutant but NZ runs a 'consenting' regime and one of them is to do with the power station (huntley) on one of the main rivers (the waikato) - it is only allowed to operate so as to maintain a temperature window on the river. this is complicated by the fact that the river flowrate (hence volume) is bounded by a consent with a different company that operates the hydroelectric system...