H.R. 587House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II

Introduced January 28, 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 9:47 PM UTC

The Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II changes the federal permitting rules for the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant in San Diego. It requires the plant’s outfall to stay at least 300 feet deep and 4 miles offshore, sets decreasing limits on total suspended solids, mandates high removal rates of solids and biochemical oxygen demand, and calls for extensive ocean monitoring and a large potable‑reuse water production goal by 2035. The EPA administrator will issue permits that include these conditions and any development milestones.

Key Provisions

  • Outfall must be at least 300 feet deep and at least 4 miles from shore.
  • Total suspended solids (TSS) discharge caps: 12,000 metric tons/yr initially, 11,500 by end‑2025, 9,942 by end‑2027, and no more than 60 mg/L averaged over 30 days.
  • Plant must remove at least 80 % of TSS on a monthly average and at least 58 % of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) on an annual average, counting upstream treatment.
  • Must meet all other secondary‑treatment effluent limits under the Clean Water Act, except those already covered for BOD and TSS.
  • Permit must follow standard Section 402 requirements, including state water‑quality certification and ocean discharge criteria evaluation.
  • Must implement pretreatment program requirements as set out in the Clean Water Act.
  • Applicant must provide ten consecutive years of ocean‑monitoring data before each permit application and maintain an ongoing monitoring program.
  • Applicant must show it can produce at least 83 million gallons per day of water suitable for potable reuse by Dec 31 2035.
  • EPA will set development milestones that become permit conditions for permits issued before Dec 31 2035; an alternative application meeting secondary‑treatment standards is also allowed.

Legislative Activity

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15 earlier actions
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

June 16, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 28, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

January 28, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

February 4, 2021

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Discharged.

March 24, 2021

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

March 24, 2021

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 54 - 2.

March 24, 2021

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 117-41.

May 28, 2021

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 24.

May 28, 2021

HouseFloor

Ms. Norton moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

June 15, 2021 • 12:44 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2759-2761; text: CR H2759-2760)

June 15, 2021 • 12:44 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 587.

June 15, 2021 • 12:44 PM

HouseFloor

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

June 15, 2021 • 12:51 PM

HouseFloor

Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 473, proceedings on H.R. 587 are considered vacated.

June 15, 2021 • 5:23 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: Pursuant to section 8 of H. Res. 473, and the motion offered by Mr. McGovern, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 293; H.R. 587; H.R. 610, as amended; H.R. 1144, as amended; H.R. 1703, as amended; H.R. 1921; H.R. 2008; H.R. 2332, as amended; H.R. 2545; and H.R. 3642, as amended.(consideration: CR H2792-2799; text: CR H2792-2793)

June 15, 2021 • 5:23 PM

HouseFloor

Pursuant to section 8 of H. Res. 473, and the motion offered by Mr. McGovern, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 293; H.R. 587; H.R. 610, as amended; H.R. 1144, as amended; H.R. 1703, as amended; H.R. 1921; H.R. 2008; H.R. 2332, as amended; H.R. 2545; and H.R. 3642, as amended. (consideration: CR H2792-2799; text: CR H2792-2793)

June 15, 2021 • 5:23 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

June 16, 2021

Floor Debate

7 members

What members said about H.R. 587 on the floor

4 Republicans3 Democrats
Eleanor Holmes Norton
Rep. Eleanor Holmes NortonD-DC · Jun 15, 2021

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 587) to modify permitting requirements with respect to the discharge of any pollutant from the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant…

David Rouzer
Rep. David RouzerR-NC-7 · Jun 15, 2021

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 587, introduced by Congressman Peters from California and others from his home State, is a bipartisan bill that aims to…

Scott H. Peters
Rep. Scott H. PetersD-CA-52 · Jun 15, 2021

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I introduced the Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II, or OPRA II, for three reasons: one, to ensure that the Point Loma Wastewater…

Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Rep. Cathy McMorris RodgersR-WA-5 · Jun 22, 2021

Madam Speaker, on June 15, 2022, I voted against bills En Bloc. Had H.R. 610, H.R. 293, H.R. 587, H.R. 1144, H.R. 1921, H.R. 2008, H.R. 2332, H.R. 2545, and H.R. 3642 each received a standalone vote,…

James P. McGovern
Rep. James P. McGovernD-MA-2 · Jun 15, 2021

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 8 of House Resolution 473, I move to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 293, H.R. 587, H.R. 610, H.R. 1144, H.R. 1703, H.R. 1921, H.R. 2008, H.R. 2332, H.R. 2545, and

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Scott Perry
Rep. Scott PerryR-PA-10 · Jun 15, 2021

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Thomas P. Tiffany
Rep. Thomas P. TiffanyR-WI-7 · Jun 15, 2021

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued June 16, 2021

II

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 587

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 16, 2021

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

AN ACT

To modify permitting requirements with respect to the discharge of any pollutant from the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant in certain circumstances, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II.

2.

San Diego Point Loma permitting requirements

(a)

In general

Notwithstanding any provision of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), the Administrator may issue a permit under section 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1342) for a discharge from the Point Loma Plant into marine waters that requires compliance with the requirements described in subsection (b).

(b)

Conditions

A permit issued under this section shall require—

(1)

maintenance of the currently designed deep ocean outfall from the Point Loma Plant with a discharge depth of not less than 300 feet and distance from the shore of not less than 4 miles;

(2)

as applicable to the term of the permit, discharge of not more than 12,000 metric tons of total suspended solids per year commencing on the date of enactment of this section, not more than 11,500 metric tons of total suspended solids per year commencing on December 31, 2025, and not more than 9,942 metric tons of total suspended solids per year commencing on December 31, 2027;

(3)

discharge of not more than 60 milligrams per liter of total suspended solids, calculated as a 30-day average;

(4)

removal of not less than 80 percent of total suspended solids on a monthly average and not less than 58 percent of biochemical oxygen demand on an annual average, taking into account removal occurring at all treatment processes for wastewater upstream from and at the Point Loma Plant;

(5)

attainment of all other effluent limitations of secondary treatment as determined by the Administrator pursuant to section 304(d)(1) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1314(d)(1)), other than any requirements otherwise applicable to the discharge of biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids;

(6)

compliance with the requirements applicable to Federal issuance of a permit under section 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, including State concurrence consistent with section 401 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1341) and ocean discharge criteria evaluation pursuant to section 403 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1343);

(7)

implementation of the pretreatment program requirements of paragraphs (5) and (6) of section 301(h) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1311(h)) in addition to the requirements of section 402(b)(8) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 1342(b)(8));

(8)

that the applicant provide 10 consecutive years of ocean monitoring data and analysis for the period immediately preceding the date of each application for a permit under this section sufficient to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Administrator that the discharge of pollutants pursuant to a permit issued under this section will meet the requirements of section 301(h)(2) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1311(h)(2)) and that the applicant has established and will maintain throughout the permit term an ocean monitoring program that meets or exceeds the requirements of section 301(h)(3) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 1311(h)(3)); and

(9)

to the extent potable reuse is permitted by Federal and State regulatory agencies, that the applicant demonstrate that at least 83,000,000 gallons per day on an annual average of water suitable for potable reuse will be produced by December 31, 2035, taking into account production of water suitable for potable reuse occurring at all treatment processes for wastewater upstream from and at the Point Loma Plant.

(c)

Milestones

The Administrator shall determine development milestones necessary to ensure compliance with this section and include such milestones as conditions in each permit issued under this section before December 31, 2035.

(d)

Secondary treatment

Nothing in this section prevents the applicant from alternatively submitting an application for the Point Loma Plant that complies with secondary treatment pursuant to section 301(b)(1)(B) and section 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1311(b)(1)(B); 33 U.S.C. 1342).

(e)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Administrator

The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

(2)

Biochemical oxygen demand

The term biochemical oxygen demand means biological oxygen demand, as such term is used in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

(3)

Point Loma Plant

The term Point Loma Plant means the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant owned by the City of San Diego on the date of enactment of this Act.

(4)

State

The term State means the State of California.

Passed the House of Representatives June 15, 2021.

Cheryl L. Johnson,

Clerk.