Water Quality Issues
EPA’s Water Quality Standards Regulation Revision Process - Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Background: EPA is seeking through an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM), views and recommendations on possible revisions to the Water Quality Standards regulation. EPA released a draft ANPRM in mid-March 1996 to all interested parties for comment over a two month period ending in early May 1996.
Status: In the fall of 1997, EPA outlined the scope of a narrowed ANPRM which will include discussions of: designated uses; biological criteria; physical and habitat criteria; toxicity criteria; sediment criteria; microbiological criteria; antidegradation; and general policies, such as mixing zones, and independent application. Publication of the ANPRM is planned for late April 1998. AMSA members interested in participating in a focused review team on the proposal should contact the National Office. CONTACTS: Rob Wood, EPA 202/260-9536 or Mark Hoeke, AMSA 202/ 833-9106.
National Water Quality Monitoring Council
Background: The National Water Quality Monitoring Council was formed on recommendation by the Intergovernmental Task Force on Monitoring Water Quality (ITFM), a highly successful multi-year cooperative effort involving federal and state agencies and the private sector. ITFM’s final report, "The Strategy for Improving Water-Quality Monitoring in the United States," recommends a strategy for nationwide water quality monitoring and technical monitoring improvements to support sound water quality decision making at all levels of government and in the private sector. The National Water Quality Council, which is composed of federal, state, municipal, and tribal government, environmental, manufacturing, and agricultural interest groups, as well as volunteer monitoring groups is intended to fulfill these recommendations and will review activities for monitoring the quality of fresh surface water, estuary and near-coastal water, ground water, and precipitation at local, regional, and national levels. The National Council will also provide guidance for the collection, management, and use of water-quality information.
Status: The NWQMC has now held two meetings in full Council, plus a number of workgroup meetings. Within the many concerns of the Council, it has decided to concentrate first on: compiling existing information to provide an assessment of current water quality conditions; providing access to existing information from multiple parties to support assessments; and, making recommendations for improving water quality monitoring and assessment programs. Some of the key actions in these areas include: 1) assist in the development of unified assessment of watershed conditions; 2) recommend a core set of data standards to be used by water information organizations to enable data sharing and synthesis; 3) recommend activities to more closely integrate CWA and SWDA programs; 4) recommend ways to fill national gaps in existing information (i.e., biological integrity data, stream flow, air deposition, etc.); and, 5) recommend elements of a core state monitoring program. The next meeting of the Council is scheduled for April 20-22, 1998 at the NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. The NWQMC is sponsoring a conference on "Monitoring: Critical Foundations to Protect our Waters," on July 7-9 in Reno, Nevada (see Water Quality Related Items of Interest for more information). CONTACT: Elizabeth Fellows, EPA 202/260-7062, or Mark Hoeke, AMSA 202/833-9106.
Streamlining 301(h) Waiver Renewal Requirements - Anticipated Proposed Rule
Background: EPA is proposing to amend the Clean Water Act section 301(h) regulations. This proposal is designed to streamline the renewal process for POTWs with 301(h) modified permits. Section 301(h) provides POTWs discharging to marine waters an opportunity to obtain a modification of secondary treatment requirements if they demonstrate to EPA that they comply with a number of criteria aimed at protecting the marine environment.
Status: Proposal is planned for April 1998. CONTACT: Deborah Lebow 260-6419
Freshwater Ammonia Criteria Revisions
Background: Since EPA published its water quality criteria document for ammonia in freshwater, (Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Ammonia - 1984, U.S. EPA 1985a), it has issued additional information concerning aquatic life criteria for ammonia (Heber and Ballentine, 1992; U.S. EPA 1989, 1996) and there have been various studies of ammonia toxicity that could affect the freshwater criterion. The purpose of EPA’s current efforts is to update U.S. EPA (1985a) and replace Heber and Ballentine (1992) and U.S. EPA (1996) by addressing various issues and assessing new data to the extent possible in a short-term effort. This short-term effort is addressing issues and data related to the Criterion Maximum Concentration (CMC), Criterion Continuous Concentration (CCC), and CCC averaging period, or the frequency of allowed exceedences. It is intended that a separate long-term effort will more completely evaluate relevant laboratory and field data, identify and conduct needed research, and replace U.S. EPA (1985a) and this latest addendum in five to ten years. A recently issued draft addendum updates the equations used in the ammonia criteria document (U.S. EPA 1985a) to address the temperature- and ph-dependence of ammonia toxicity in freshwater to take into account newer data and better approaches. A new CMC is derived based on these updated equations. Available chronic data is evaluated and used to derive a new CCC.
Status: EPA’s Office of Science and Technology is in the process of updating its freshwater ammonia criteria to account for newer data, better approaches, and to address temperature and ph-dependence of ammonia toxicity. The updated procedures are reflected in a draft addendum to EPA’s "Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Ammonia - 1984." A technical peer review has been completed on the draft document. EPA plans to solicit public comment via Federal Register notice in April 1998. AMSA’s Water Quality Committee will review the draft document when published. CONTACT: Mark Hoeke, AMSA at 202/833-9106, or Charles Delos, EPA 202/260-7039.
Whole Effluent Toxicity
Background: On February 19, 1997 EPA released their draft whole effluent toxicity (WET) implementation strategy (distributed via Regulatory Alert RA 97-6). The draft strategy highlights five key areas of concern including: 1) national WET outreach and training program; 2) continue to encourage the development of water quality criteria & standards based on good science; 3) improved NPDES permits for WET; 4) enforcement; and, 5) fund research needs. In February 1996, EPA was sued by several groups, including the Western Coalition of Arid States (WESTCAS), and the Edison Electric Institute on the WET test procedures, which were promulgated on October 16, 1995. AMSA’s Board of Directors did not pursue litigation on WET based on the opportunity to resolve technical and policy issues with EPA.
Status: EPA is continuing negotiations with litigants regarding WET issues. Ongoing issues which remain unresolved include: continual use of flawed WET methods, relevancy to arid streams, establishment of peer review group to review scientific concerns, and the need for MDLs or equivalent for WET. Pending resolution of ongoing litigation, EPA hopes to finalize the WET Implementation Strategy sometime in mid-1998. Also, SETAC is currently working under a cooperative agreement with EPA to develop training workshops on WET. AMSA has expressed concerns to both EPA and SETAC regarding plans to limit the workshops to National and local affiliate SETAC meetings in March to June 1998. AMSA has urged that SETAC reconsider its target audience and make the course available to outside organizations, such as AMSA. CONTACT: Sam Hadeed, AMSA 202/833-4655, Margarete Heber, EPA 202/260-7144.
EPA BEACH Program
Background: On May 23, 1997, the Administrator announced a new program to reduce the potential public health risk of getting infectious diseases from swimming or playing in contaminated beach water at the nation’s lakes, rivers and oceans. Through the Beaches Environmental Assessment, Closure and Health Program, (BEACH Program), EPA will work with State, Tribal and local governments to ensure effective beach monitoring and advisory programs. EPA held the first National Conference on Beach Health on October 15-16, 1997, co-sponsored with ASTHO (the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials), to discuss the key issues, technical needs, and programs around the country. Three members of AMSA were invited and participated in the conference. Based on this conference, EPA will develop a work plan for the BEACH Program. State and local government stakeholders and environmental organizations represented at the conference agreed that there is a need for a national program to help coordinate technical and policy direction for states and locals.
Status: EPA's Office of Water recently initiated its first annual National Beach Health Survey by sending out a questionnaire to approximately 350 local health departments in the Great Lakes and selected coastal areas. The questionnaire is designed to assess current beach activities including: governmental responsibilities, standards, monitoring, closure and advisory practices, costs, and other beach-specific information, such as beach locations. Over the next three months, the information will be collected, analyzed, and entered into an Internet-based database. Preliminary survey results will be shared with interested officials and the public by the start of this summer's vacation season. EPA, in consultation with local and state officials, will also conduct a detailed analysis of the information to help determine future actions. This survey and other efforts are part of EPA's goals to improve public health protection at the nation's beaches and associated recreational waters. For more information, visit EPA's BEACH Watch homepage at http://www.epa.gov/OST/beaches. EPA is also working on a research plan for improved indicators, methods, and criteria. CONTACT: Rick Hoffman, EPA 202/260-0642 or Mark Hoeke, AMSA 202/833-9106.
AMSA’s Summer Conference to Focus on Water Quality Criteria & Standards
AMSA’s Board of Directors has approved a proposal to focus on water quality criteria and standards issues for AMSA’s 1998 Summer Conference to be held in Colorado Springs on July 14-17, 1998. The conference, titled, "Water Quality Criteria and Standards.... Facing Challenges, Making Choices," will highlight EPA’s upcoming Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and will discuss policy and implementation issues associated with water quality criteria & standards development, implementation, permitting, and enforcement. A detailed agenda for the meeting will be available in late April. CONTACT: Mark Hoeke, AMSA 202/833-9106.
Related Items of Interest
- On January 7, EPA released a national report on the quality of sediments in the nation's rivers and other inland and coastal waterways. The report finds that the majority of watersheds do not pose probable adverse risk but that seven percent of the surveyed watersheds are sufficiently contaminated with toxic pollutants to pose potential risks to people who eat fish from them and to fish and wildlife. The risks posed in the seven percent of the watersheds pertain to subsistence fishers and others who fish those contaminated waters for food and do not apply to people who eat fish that are commercially available from grocery stores and restaurants. The inventory of sediment quality was compiled at the request of Congress under the Water Resources Development Act of 1992. It was prepared in consultation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Army Corps of Engineers and other federal, state and local agencies. Copies of EPA's fact sheet (EPA 823-F-98-001) or the three volume report: "The Incidence and Severity of Sediment Contamination in Surface Waters of the United States" (EPA 823-R-97-006, EPA 823-R-97-007, and EPA 823-R-97-008) are available from the National Center for Environmental Publications and Information, P.O. Box 42419, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242; 1-800-490-9198 or 513/489-8695 FAX. The fact sheet is also available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom/orderpub.cfml.
- On July 7-9, the National Water-Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC) will host a conference on "Monitoring: Critical Foundations to Protect our Waters" at the Silver Legacy Hotel in Reno, Nevada. The conference will cover a variety of monitoring issues including science, policies and management. The importance of monitoring to ecosystem/infrastructure sustainability and the need for scientifically based monitoring to help make changes in water management policy and practices are among the numerous topics that will be the focus of the workshop. The NWQMC hopes the conference will: provide relevant data/information necessary to evaluate trends in the health of ecosystems and watershed; provide a forum for communication and collaboration among monitoring personnel and agencies, including participants from the volunteer monitoring community; encourage the sharing of successful monitoring designs, protocol, methods and innovative data management ideas using ongoing monitoring efforts as case studies; and, encourage public participation and raise awareness of the availability of electronic databases and how to utilize current technologies in sharing monitoring data in collaboration at the national, regional and local levels. For a copy of the agenda, registration information or online registration, please visit http://gwpc.site.net or call 405/848-0690.