2016-09025: Proposal of Certain Federal Water Quality Standards Applicable to Maine

Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes federal Clean Water Act (CWA) water quality standards (WQS) that would apply to certain waters under the state of Maine's jurisdiction. EPA proposes human health criteria (HHC) to protect the sustenance fishing use in those waters in Indian lands and for waters subject to sustenance fishing rights under the Maine Implementing Act (MIA) based on a fish consumption rate that represents an unsuppressed level of fish consumption by the four federally recognized tribes. EPA proposes six additional WQS for waters in Indian lands in Maine, two WQS for all waters in Maine including waters in Indian lands, and one WQS for waters in Maine outside of Indian lands. These proposed WQS take into account the best available science, including local and regional information, as well as applicable EPA policies, guidance, and legal requirements, to protect human health and aquatic life. EPA proposes these WQS to address various disapprovals of Maine's standards that EPA issued in February, March, and June 2015, and to address the Administrator's determination that Maine's disapproved HHC are not adequate to protect the designated use of sustenance fishing for certain waters.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 1 part of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

• 40 CFR 131 Water Quality Standards