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NYC Watershed Memorandum of Agreement
EPA in partnership with
the State of New York, the City of New York, watershed towns, villages
and counties, certain environmental and agricultural organizations, and
other interested parties forged the New York City Watershed Memorandum
of Agreement 
or
MOA. The MOA, signed on January 21, 1997 establishes NYC land acquisition
requirements, sets more stringent New
York City Watershed Rules and Regulations, activates the NYC Watershed Protection and Partnership Council and other
partnership committees, initiates NYC watershed protection
and partnership programs, and details other watershed protection provisions.
As a result of this agreement, EPA issued an interim Filtration Avoidance Determination (FAD) which allowed the City of New York to avoid filtering its Catskill/Delaware drinking water provided certain preconditions were met. Upon meeting those conditions (e.g., NYS Department of Environmental Conservation issuing a final land acquisition permit, NYS Department of Health approving NYC's Watershed Rules and Regulations, executing the MOA, etc...) it was understood by the parties that EPA would issue a five-year Filtration Avoidance Determination. The Watershed Rules and Regulations became effective on May 1, 1997 and on May 6, 1997, EPA issued a five-year FAD.
