(a) Purpose of section. Sections 35.600 through 35.604 govern Water Quality Cooperative Agreements to Tribes and Intertribal Consortia authorized under section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act. These sections do not govern Water Quality Cooperative Agreements under section 104(b)(3) to organizations that do not meet the definitions of Tribe or Intertribal Consortium in § 35.502.

(b) Purpose of program. EPA awards Water Quality Cooperative Agreements for investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. EPA issues guidance each year advising EPA regions and headquarters regarding appropriate priorities for funding for this program. This guidance may include such focus areas as National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System watershed permitting, urban wet weather programs, or innovative pretreatment programs and biosolids projects.