40 CFR § 136.2 - Definitions.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t40/s136.2"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "40 CFR § 136.2 - Definitions."
title_number: 40
title_name: "Protection of Environment"
section_number: "136.2"
section_name: "Definitions."
chapter_name: "ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY"
subchapter_number: "D"
subchapter_name: "WATER PROGRAMS"
part_number: "136"
part_name: "GUIDELINES ESTABLISHING TEST PROCEDURES FOR THE ANALYSIS OF POLLUTANTS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "Secs. 301, 304(h), 307 and 501(a), Pub. L. 95-217, 91 Stat. 1566,  (33 U.S.C. 1251, ) (the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 as amended by the Clean Water Act of 1977)."
cfr_part: "136"
---


# 136.2 Definitions.

As used in this part, the term:

(a) *Act* means the Clean Water Act of 1977, Pub. L. 95-217, 91 Stat. 1566, *et seq.* (33 U.S.C. 1251 *et seq.*) (The Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 as amended by the Clean Water Act of 1977).

(b) *Administrator* means the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

(c) *Regional Administrator* means one of the EPA Regional Administrators.

(d) *Director* means the director as defined in 40 CFR 122.2.

(e) *National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)* means the national system for the issuance of permits under section 402 of the Act and includes any State or interstate program which has been approved by the Administrator, in whole or in part, pursuant to section 402 of the Act.

(f) *Detection limit* means the minimum concentration of an analyte (substance) that can be measured and reported with a 99% confidence that the analyte concentration is distinguishable from the method blank results as determined by the procedure set forth at appendix B of this part.

[38 FR 28758, Oct. 16, 1973, as amended at 49 FR 43250, Oct. 26, 1984; 82 FR 40846, Aug. 28, 2017]