1) Water Quality Standards The mission on the EPA is to protect human health and the environment through regulatory responsibility and scientific research supporting regulatory action. The 1972 Clean Water Act set the structure for regulating pollution discharge into “Waters of the US”, making it illegal to discharge pollutants without permit, requires each state to set water quality standards. The objective of the Clean Water Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. Water Quality Standards are provisions that describe the desired condition of water bodies. This includes use designations, criteria to protect these uses and provisions to prevent degradation (antidegradation rules).