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Idaho Water Quality Standards to be Released

Release Date: 5/5/1997
Contact Information: Lisa Macchio
macchio.lisa@epamail.epa.gov
(206) 553-1834

97-32 May 5, 1997

NEWS ADVISORY
Environmental writers, news desks and assignment editors are reminded of next Monday's public hearing on EPA's proposed additions and modifications to Idaho's water quality standards. The hearing schedule:

WHEN: Monday, May 12
2 p.m to 5 p.m. AND 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.


WHERE: Rooms A and B
Idaho Division of Environmental Quality
1410 N. Hilton Street
Boise

The best way to familiarize oneself with the EPA proposal would be to read the proposal itself. It was published April 28 as an official notice in the Federal Register. "Hard" copies are available from EPA's office in Boise. Also, the proposal can be obtained from the following Internet addresses:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aaces002.html

Or click here for: Summary,

Next Monday's hearing will take place at approximately the mid-point of the 30-day public comment period that began with the publication of the Federal Register notice. The deadline for written comments is May 28.

Water quality standards are fundamental elements of national efforts to control water pollution. The standards are tailored to each water body, or to segments of rivers and streams, to reflect the uses of the water -- whether for recreational or commercial fishing, for swimming or other recreational purposes, or as a natural resource, such as habitat for salmon or other species of fish and aquatic life.

The EPA proposal is intended to correct certain aspects of Idaho's standards that were disapproved by EPA because they did not meet the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act. One of the major purposes of the EPA proposal is to protect aquatic life in all water bodies in Idaho for which the state has not assigned a use classification. Also included in the EPA proposed standards are temperature criteria for the Kootenai River white sturgeon, bull trout and Snake River aquatic snails, species protected by the Endangered Species Act.

EPA is proposing the standards because of an order issued two months ago by U.S. District Court Judge William L. Dwyer. In a case brought against EPA by the Idaho Conservation League and the Idaho Sporting Congress, Dwyer agreed with the plaintiffs that the state of Idaho was taking too long to develop the standards and promulgate them in final form. The judge turned the job over to EPA, and told the agency it had until July 20 to get the standards on the books.

The state of Idaho has already completed revisions to some of the items being proposed by EPA. Specifically, the state has already put in place provisions for three of the six items which EPA disapproved. The state is developing proposals for some of the remaining items to submit to EPA for approval. With EPA approval, those standards would become final and EPA promulgation would no longer be necessary.

CONTACTS
Lisa Macchio Lynn McKee
EPA/Seattle EPA/Boise
(206) 553-1834 (208) 378-5746