To: Members & Affiliates, Water Quality Committee, and Water Quality Workgroups From: National Office Date: July 8, 1998 Re: RA 98-15 Advanced Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking On EPA Water Quality Standards Regulation
On July 7, EPA published the long-awaited advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on water quality standards regulation. The ANPRM requests public comment on EPA's current thinking on possible regulation and policy changes to strengthen and modernize the water quality standards regulation, including facilitating a watershed approach. Six core areas are discussed in the document, including: designated uses, criteria, anti-degradation, mixing zones, wetlands, and independent application. EPA has requested comment on these areas and is also accepting comments on any other aspects of the water quality program.
AMSA, with extensive member agency input, plans to file comments on the ANPRM within the 180-day comment period and will also ensure that AMSA members are represented during three public meetings on the ANPRM, the first to be held in Philadelphia, PA on August 27-28 (see Regulatory Alert RA 98-14). For the benefit of AMSA members attending the public meetings, AMSA would like to provide a preliminary list of core issues and questions to aid in the discussions. Preliminary comments on the ANPRM should be sent to Mark Hoeke at the National Office by August 7, 1998. The ANPRM will also be discussed at AMSA's upcoming Summer Conference, Water Quality Criteria & Standards... Facing Challenges, Making Choices. Attendees should bring copies of the ANPRM to facilitate discussion. In order to formulate its comments, AMSA's Water Quality Committee is requesting that members review the ANPRM and forward comprehensive comments to the National Office by October 2, 1998. The Committee has formed five review teams, each concentrating on one issue area of the ANPRM, which will collate member agency comments and establish AMSA's positions. We request that you please follow the outline of the ANPRM as presented in the Table of Contents when compiling your comments.
To ensure consistent response and appearance to EPA's specific request, the Water Quality Committee requests that comments:
- Cite specific ANPRM questions;
- Include degree of specificity required if regulations are recommended to be revised; and,
- Note 5-7 issues of HIGH priority.
Also, please note where there are comments or recommendations which have not been specifically requested by EPA. Also attached to this Regulatory Alert, is a copy of AMSA's May 1996 comments on the proposed ANPRM. Please submit your comments to Mark Hoeke, AMSA, in electronic format via E-MAIL to mhoeke@amsa-cleanwater.org or mail a computer disk to the National Office at 1000 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20036. If you wish to join one of the review teams or have additional questions, please contact Mark Hoeke at 202/833-9106. Thank you for your participation.
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