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12.0 Glossary

Municipal Services: Services traditionally provided by local government, including water
and sewer, roads, parks, schools, and police and fire protection.

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS): Standards set by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency for the maximum levels of air pollutants that can exist in
the ambient air without unacceptable effects on human health or public welfare. There
are two types of NAAQS. Primary standards set limits to protect public health and secondary
standards set limits to protect public welfare.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): In 1969, the National Environmental Policy
Act was enacted establishing a national environmental policy and the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) to advise the President on environmental issues. NEPA
requires the preparation of environmental impact statements (EIS) for all major federal
actions which would have a significant effect on the environment. NEPA served as a model
for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) enacted in 1970.

National Flood Insurance Program: A federal program that authorizes the sale of federally
subsidized flood insurance in communities where such flood insurance is not available
privately.

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits: Under the NPDES
Program (Federal Clean Water Act), any person responsible for the discharge of a pollutant
or pollutants into any waters of the United States from any point source must apply for and
obtain a permit. According to Section 402 of the Clean Water Act, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is the issuing authority for all NPDES permits in a state until such
time as the State elects to take over the administration and obtains EPA approval of its
programs. (The State Water Resources Control Board [SWRCB] has this authority in
California.) Dischargers are required to disclose the volume and nature of their discharges.
Further, the EPA or equivalent State Agency has the authority to specify limitations to be
imposed on discharges and to require monitoring and reporting as to compliance or non-
compliance.

National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Legally enforceable standards that apply
to public water systems. Primary standards protect public health by limiting the levels of
contaminants in drinking water. These limits are also known as maximum contaminant
levels (MCLs).

National Register of Historic Places: The official inventory established by the National
Historic Preservation Act of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in
American history, architecture, archeology, engineering and culture.

National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations: Non-enforceable guidelines regulating
contaminants that may cause cosmetic effects (such as skin or tooth discoloration) or
aesthetic effects (such as taste, odor, or color) in drinking water. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (USEPA) recommends secondary standards to water systems, but does
not require systems to comply.

R:\Projects\PAS\CEN\000306\Draft EIR\12.0_Glossary-051017.docx 12-52 Centennial Project
Draft EIR