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EPA APPROVES MAJORITY OF KANSAS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS

Release Date: 04/28/2005
Contact Information:

Environmental News
Martin Kessler
(913) 551-7236
[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 28, 2005

EPA APPROVES MAJORITY OF KANSAS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS

EPA has approved most of the revised Kansas water quality standards adopted by the state Dec. 23, 2004. Those approved revisions now can be implemented under the Clean Water Act.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) submitted the 2005 revised Kansas Surface Water Quality Standards to EPA for review and approval Feb. 1, 2005, as part of the state’s ongoing triennial review process.

This submission also included revisions to the Kansas Administrative Regulations and a copy of the Kansas Implementation Procedures ? Surface Water Quality Standards, dated April 28, 2004.

States are required to conduct a review of their water quality standards no less frequently than every three years and submit new or revised standards to EPA. These requirements are detailed in Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act.

EPA disapproved one provision concerning a proposed “high flow exclusion” because EPA believes that the exclusion, as proposed, is too broad. Consequently, the exclusion may not protect designated recreational uses for all the state’s water bodies. This provision would have exempted certain streams and rivers from bacteria criteria during certain high flow events.

In our decision letter, EPA acknowledged KDHE’s extensive efforts to conduct stakeholder meetings, seek public input, and keep the citizens of Kansas informed about the water quality standards process.

* To obtain an electronic copy of EPA’s decision letter, please contact Martin Kessler by phone or e-mail (contact info above).