CC-14-002: EPA – Water – Notice of Draft Updated Human Health Water Quality Criteria

In the May 13, 2014, edition of the Federal Register, EPA issued a Notice of Availability regarding draft updates to its national recommended water quality criteria for protection of human health. These criteria, or similarly derived criteria, adopted by state agencies apply to ambient waters and are used in Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) activities and for calculating NPDES permit limits for certain pollutants. The draft updates were derived using a traditional, deterministic approach, but with some new parameter values related to toxicity and assumptions about human exposure. Of the 94 substances for which criteria revisions are being considered, 69 are more stringent than the previous recommended criteria. The comment period for the draft revisions is open until July 14, 2014. NCASI plans to submit technical comments on the Notice. This memo will be of interest to companies with mills holding NPDES wastewater discharge permits.