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Purpose and Background
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Purpose of UNDS

The purpose of the UNDS program is to provide a comprehensive system for regulating discharges incidental to the normal operation of an Armed Forces' vessel. Until the Clean Water Act (CWA) was amended in 1996, there had been no such requirement at the national level.

Photo of USS JFK

The development of UNDS has several benefits.

  • Enhance environmental protection of coastal waters
  • Encourage environmentally sound management practices
  • Help standardize training for crews to perform missions
  • Determine how future ships will be built.

Mainly, these standards will enhance environmental protection of coastal waters by creating protective standards for previously unregulated discharges. Also, these standards will encourage environmentally sound management practices on current vessels, help establish standardized training for crews to perform missions and help determine the way future ships will be built. Other benefits of the program include stimulating the development of innovative vessel pollution control technologies and the development of advanced technologies for managing a vessel's liquid discharges.