3745-1-36 Methodologies for development of aquatic life criteria and values.

 

 

 

BEFORE THE

OHIO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

 

Public Notice Proposed Rulemaking Governing

Water Quality Standards

 

Notice is hereby given that the Director of Environmental Protection, in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, proposes to adopt the following rules of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC). Authority to adopt OAC Chapter 3745-1 rules is under Section 6111.041 of the Ohio Revised Code.

 

Rule #               Rule Title                                                                                                 Action

3745-1-01            Purpose and applicability                                                                          Rescind

                Purpose and applicability New

                                   Definitions                                                                                                   Amend

                                   Analytical methods and availability of documents                                    Amend

                                   Criteria applicable to all waters                                                                 Amend

                                   Antidegradation                                                                                           Amend

3745-1-07            Water use designations and statewide criteria                                          Rescind

3745-1-07            Beneficial use designations                                                                       New

                Lake Erie standards        Amend

                Ohio river standards        Rescind

                                   Ohio river standards                                                                                  New

                                   Water quality criteria for the lake Erie drainage basin                          Rescind 3745-1-34                          Water quality criteria for the Ohio river drainage basin                          Rescind 3745-1-35                                                                                      Site-specific modifications to criteria and values                          Amend 3745-1-36                          Methodologies for development of aquatic life criteria and values                          Amend 3745-1-37                          Methodology for deriving bioaccumulation factors                          Amend 3745-1-38                          Methodologies for development of human health criteria and values                          Amend

                                   Methodology for the development of wildlife criteria for the lake Erie drainage basin

Amend

                                   Water quality criteria for water supply use designations                           New 3745-1-41            Water quality criteria for recreation use designations                                New 3745-1-42            Water quality criteria for the base aquatic life use designation                New 3745-1-43            Water quality criteria for the tiered aquatic life use designations             New

OAC Chapter 3745-1contains: beneficial use designations such as warmwater aquatic life habitat, public water supply and primary contact recreation; numeric levels and narrative statements (water quality criteria) protective of the use designations; and an antidegradation rule.

The proposed amendments include new beneficial use designations: primary headwater habitat, lake habitat, sport fishing recreation use and base aquatic life use; statewide application of human health criteria based on maximum contaminant levels for public water supply use; inclusion of updated Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission Pollution Control Standards for the Ohio River mainstem; new and revised aquatic life criteria for six chemicals; separation  of  antidegradation  requirements  for  dredge  and  fill  projects  from  NPDES

Ohio EPA Public Notice

Proposed Rulemaking Governing Water Quality Standards Page 2 of 2

antidegradation requirements and inclusion of nutrient design effluent limits for new and expanding sanitary wastewater dischargers.

The public comment period will run until 5:00 p.m. on February 24, 2012. A public hearing on these proposed rules will be held to consider public comments in accordance with Section

119.03 of the Ohio Revised Code. This hearing will be held at the Ohio EPA Conference Center, Room A, 50 West Town Street, Suite 700, Columbus, Ohio at 3:00 p.m. on February 1, 2012. All visitors to Ohio EPA must register at the Security desk in the lobby upon arrival. Please bring photo identification (such as a valid driver's license). For security reasons, visitors are required to wear their badge at all times while in the building. Please arrive early to complete these procedures.

To facilitate the scheduling of oral presentations, persons intending to give testimony at the hearing should notify the Ohio EPA Public Interest Center, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049, [phone]. Prior registration will ensure that registrants are heard ahead of those individuals who register at the hearing. Oral testimony may be limited to five minutes, depending on the number of persons testifying. All interested persons are entitled to attend or be represented and to present oral and/or written comments concerning the proposed rules.

Written testimony should be sent to the attention of Rule Coordinator at the Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus Ohio 43216-1049. Written comments may also be submitted to the Hearing Officer at the public hearing. Written testimony will receive the same consideration as oral testimony. All testimony received at the hearing or by 5:00 p.m. on February 24, 2012, will be considered by Ohio EPA prior to final action on this rulemaking. Written comments submitted after this date may be considered as time and circumstances permit.

To obtain copies of the proposed rules, or if you have any questions about this rule package, contact Dan Dudley, Division of Surface Water, at [phone] or via email at  [e-mail]. Copies of the proposed rules are also available on the Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water website at www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/Home.aspx and the Register of Ohio website at www.registerofohio.state.oh.us.