[Federal Register: January 9, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 6)]
[Notices]               
[Page 1671-1674]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09ja01-62]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OW-FRL-6931-1]

 
Nutrient Criteria Development; Notice of Ecoregional Nutrient 
Criteria

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Ecoregional Nutrient Criteria for Lakes and 
Reservoirs, Rivers and Streams, and Wetlands.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is publishing 
seventeen Ecoregional Nutrient Criteria Documents for lakes and 
reservoirs, rivers and streams and wetlands within specific geographic 
regions (ecoregions) of the United States. These recommended section 
304(a) water quality criteria for nutrients were developed with the aim 
of reducing and preventing eutrophication on a National scale. Each 
document presents recommended criteria for causal parameters (total 
phosphorus and total nitrogen) and response variables (chlorophyll a 
and some form of turbidity). This information is intended to serve as a 
starting point for States, authorized Tribes and others to develop more 
refined nutrient criteria, as appropriate, using EPA waterbody-specific 
technical guidance manuals and other scientifically defensible 
approaches. EPA will work with States and authorized Tribes as they 
adopt water quality criteria for nutrients into their water quality 
standards. EPA expects States and authorized Tribes to adopt or revise 
EPA ecoregional nutrient criteria published in 2000 into State or 
Tribal water quality standards by 2004.
    Under the Clean Water Act, States, Territories, and authorized 
Tribes adopt into their water quality standards water quality criteria 
to protect designated uses. The criteria recommendations presented in 
these documents are guidance that States, territories, and authorized 
Tribes may use as a starting point for developing their own criteria as 
part of their water quality standards. EPA strongly encourages States, 
Territories and authorized Tribes to refine these recommendations based 
on the key elements of nutrient criteria development (historical 
information, reference conditions, models, consideration of downstream 
effects, and expert judgment) discussed in EPA's published Technical 
Guidance Manuals (Lakes and Reservoirs: EPA-822-B00-001; Rivers and 
Streams: EPA-822-B-00-002). While the seventeen documents available 
today contain EPA's scientific recommendations regarding ecoregional 
nutrient criteria, the information and recommendations are not 
regulations, and do not impose legally binding requirements on EPA, 
States, Territories, authorized Tribes, or the public. As 
recommendations, they might not apply to a particular situation based 
upon the circumstances. States, Territories, and authorized Tribes 
retain the discretion to adopt water quality criteria based on other 
scientifically defensible approaches to developing regional or local 
nutrient criteria that differ from these recommendations. EPA may 
revise these section 304(a) water quality criteria in the future.
    EPA is making these recommended section 304(a) nutrient water 
quality criteria available to the public in accordance with the 
Agency's process for publishing new and revised criteria (see Federal 
Register, December 10, 1998, 63 FR 68354 and in the EPA document 
titled, National Recommended Water Quality--Correction EPA 822-Z-99-
001, April 1999). EPA invites the public to provide scientific views on 
these criteria. EPA will review and consider information submitted by 
the public on significant scientific issues and site-specific data that 
might not have otherwise been identified by the Agency during 
development of these criteria. After EPA reviews the submitted 
significant scientific information, the Agency may publish revised 
nutrient water quality criteria, or publish a notice informing the 
public that the submitted information does not warrant revision of the 
criteria.
    EPA encourages the public to provide additional data that could 
help States and or authorized Tribes to refine these recommended 
nutrient water quality criteria. EPA has identified specific sections 
within each document where public input would greatly assist States and 
authorized Tribes in the task of augmenting the database for deriving 
ecoregional nutrient water quality criteria. For example, the public 
can provide information concerning the historical conditions and trends 
of the water resources within an ecoregion related to cultural 
eutrophication. EPA will forward all comments received on a particular 
ecoregional criterion or set of criteria to the appropriate State or 
Tribe to help foster water quality criteria refinement.
    EPA's Office of Water, Office of Science and Technology has 
prepared this document for publication. Mention of trade names or 
commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation 
for use.

[[Page 1672]]


DATES: EPA will accept significant scientific information submitted to 
the Agency within 90 days of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. Any scientific information submitted should be adequately 
documented and contain enough supporting information to indicate that 
acceptable and scientifically defensible procedures were used and that 
the results are reliable.

ADDRESSES: This notice contains a summary of the Ecoregional Nutrient 
Criteria Documents. Copies of the all or any document may be obtained 
from the U.S. National Service Center for Environmental Publications 
(NSCEP), 11029 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242; (513) 489-8190 or 
toll free (800) 490-9198. The documents are also available 
electronically at http://www.epa.gov/ost/standards/nutrient.html. The 
waterbody-specific technical guidance manuals, which present the 
nutrient criteria derivation methodology used by EPA to develop the 
nutrient water quality criteria, are also available from EPA's nutrient 
website. An original and two copies of written significant scientific 
information should sent to Robert Cantilli (MC-4304), U.S. EPA, Ariel 
Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW , Washington, DC 20460. 
Written significant scientific information may be submitted 
electronically in ASCII or Word Perfect 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, or 8.0 formats 
to OW-General@epa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Cantilli, U.S. EPA, Health and 
Ecological Criteria Division (4304), Office of Science and Technology, 
Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460; 
or call (202) 260-5546; or e-mail cantilli.robert@epa.gov.