The state of Texas assumed the authority to administer the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program in Texas on Sept. 14, 1998. NPDES is a federal regulatory program to control discharges of pollutants to surface waters of the United States. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) program now has federal regulatory authority over discharges of pollutants to Texas surface water, with the exception of discharges associated with oil, gas, and geothermal exploration and development activities, which are regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas.

To review the agency's TPDES application components for authority to administer the NPDES program, the approval letter from the Enviromental Protection Agency authorizing Texas to administer the program and other documents related to the application go to TPDES Application for NPDES Authorization.