Based on the recommended levels issued by the EPA, water in which region has been subject to the best stewardship?

EPA Region 4

The final NPDES general permit for existing and new source discharges in the Eastern Portion of the outer continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico, GMG460000, was issued in January, 2018. The permit expires in December, 2022. The permit applies to operators of leases seaward of the 200 meter water depth for offshore Alabama and Florida in the Eastern Planning Area and offshore Mississippi and Alabama in the Mobile and Viosca Knoll lease blocks in the Central Planning Area.

EPA Region 6

The EPA Region 6 NPDES OCS General Permit No. GMG290000 was reissued in October, 2017 and expires in September, 2022. The BSEE inspectors assist the EPA with NPDES offshore platform compliance. Additionally, the US Coast Guard Marine Safety Office conducts inspections.

EPA Region 9

EPA Region 9 issued a final General NPDES permit for offshore oil and gas facilities located in Federal water off the coast of southern California in December 2004. On November 30, 2009, EPA issued a modification of the General permit to include the results of a Reasonable Potential analysis, the result of which produced specific water quality-based limits for specific parameters in the produced water effluent for all discharging platforms offshore southern California. EPA is now in the process of reissuing the General NPDES permit including the collection of public comments (the public comment period closed February 4, 2013). EPA will then respond to comments and seek a Consistency Determination from the California Coastal Commission prior to reissuing the permit. The anticipated date of the Coastal Commission hearing is the week of April 8, 2013. This permit authorizes discharges from all exploratory facilities operating within the permit area and development and production facilities which are not new sources including the following: Platforms A, B, C, Edith, Ellen, Elly, Eureka, Gail, Gilda, Gina, Grace, Habitat, Harmony, Harvest, Henry, Heritage, Hermosa, Hillhouse, Hidalgo, Hogan, Hondo, Houchin, and Irene.

EPA Region 10

Two NPDES permits for Alaska oil and gas facilities were issued on Nov. 28, 2012. There are now two separate NPDES general permits - one for the Chukchi Sea (AKG 28-8100) and one for the Beaufort Sea (AKG 28-2100). Under these general permits, discharges are authorized from oil and gas exploratory facilities in accordance with effluent limitations, monitoring requirements, and other conditions contained in the permit.