The Water Quality Standards "Docket"

Introduction

A water quality standard defines the water quality goals of a water body, or portion thereof, by designating the use or uses to be made of the water and by setting criteria necessary to protect the uses. States adopt water quality standards to protect public health or welfare, enhance the quality of water and serve the purposes of the Clean Water Act (the Act). 40 CFR 131.2 (in part)

Federal Requirements

• Under section 303(c) of the Act, EPA is to review and to approve or disapprove State-adopted water quality standards. 40 CFR 131.5 (in part)
• EPA web page on water quality standards for surface waters (off-site)

2012 Submission

• All materials(PDF) (2012) (5/16/2013)

2011 Submission

• MDEP Submission letter (PDF): 2011-7-8 ME WQS Revision Submission Cover Letter
  Bulleted attachment list from submission letter converted to numbers (note that attachments 5-10 and 13-16 are in 1 doc each)
  • Attachment 1 (PDF): 1989 DEP Staff Recommendation on Water re-classification
  • Attachment 2 (PDF): 1989 Board of Environmental Record and Related Materials – November 30, 1989
  • Attachment 3 (PDF): 1989 Minutes of Board of Environmental Protection meetings:  November 29, 1989 and December 13, 1989
  • Attachment 4 (PDF): Statement from Mark Margerum, July 6, 2011 regarding Maine State Archives search;
    • Attachment 4a (PDF): Legislative record on LD 2244, 1990
  • Attachment 5 (PDF): Federal Consistency Review – September 14, 1989
  • Attachment 6 (PDF): Federal Consistency Review (corrected copy) – November 30, 1989
  • Attachment 7 (PDF): Federal Consistency Review – October 22, 1997
  • Attachment 8 (PDF): Federal Consistency Review – November 30, 2000
  • Attachment 9 (PDF): Federal Consistency Review – March 15, 2002
  • Attachment 10 (PDF): Natural Resources Protection Act Order – April 14, 2011
  • Attachment 11 (PDF): USEPA letter Trout Brook correction (page 3) – May 19, 2010
  • Attachment 12 (PDF): Maine Waste Water Discharge Licenses (1085,2678,3440)
  • Attachment 13 (PDF): LD 1398, “An Act to Amend the Laws Administered by the Department of Environmental Protection” – April 4, 2011
  • Attachment 14 (PDF): Copy of Legislative Actions relating to LD 1398
  • Attachment 15 (PDF): Copy of LD 1398, PL Ch. 206 – June 3, 2011
  • Attachment 16 (PDF): Legislative record on LD 1398, 2011
  • Copy of Maps presented to the Joint Standing Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources:
    • Attachment 17a (PDF): Figure 1 Water Class 1990 – Present
    • Attachment 17b (PDF): Figure 2 Water Class 2011 MDEP Omnibus Proposal
  • Attachment 18 (PDF): Maine Attorney General letter dated July 8, 2011
• EPA approval letter (PDF): 2011-7-20 ME WQS Revision Submission Cover Letter

2009 Submission

• All materials (PDF) (2009) (12/7/2009)

2007 Submission

• Cover letter (PDF)
• Memo (PDF)
• Copies of statutory chapters: Chapter 65 (PDF), Chapter 291 (PDF), Chapter 292 (PDF)

2006 Submission

Submission to EPA (1/11/2006)

• Cover letter (PDF)
• List of recent changes (PDF) to statutes and rules
• Memo providing information concerning these changes (PDF)
• Copies of the changes to statutes and rules.
  Note:
  (1) On-line versions of these statutory amendments are available on the Legislature's website (some time after adoption. 2004-2005 session (PL 2005) chapters: 159, 182, 330, and 409. 2003-2004 session (PL 2003) chapters: 534, 614, 688 (part B) and 689 (part B).
  (2) On-line versions of rules are available on the Sectretary of State's (SOS) website. Chapters 530 (Word) and 584 (Word); Chapter 532 (Word).
• Letter from the Maine Attorney General's Office certifying that the changes affecting water quality standards were duly adopted pursuant to state law (page 1 (PDF), page 2 (PDF)).

Other materials

• Tracking sheet (PDF)
• EPA Response Letters or Emails
  • May 19, 2010 (PDF)
  • September 9, 2009 (PDF) (email text)
  • September 9, 2009 (PDF) (email text 2)
  • August 19, 2009 (PDF)
  • September 18, 2006 (PDF)
  • July 7, 2006 (PDF)
  • April 17, 2006 (PDF)
  • January 25, 2005. Page 1 (PDF), Page 2 (PDF), Page 3 (PDF), Attachment A (page 1 (PDF), page 2 (PDF)), Attachment B (PDF).
  • April 14, 2004. Page 1 (PDF), Page 2 (PDF), Page 3 (PDF), Attachment A (PDF).
  • February 9, 2004. Page 1 (PDF), Page 2 (PDF), Attachment.
  • November 10, 2003. Page 1 (PDF), Page 2 (PDF).
• Repository of Documents:Maine (off site)
• Water Quality Standards for Coastal and Great Lakes Recreation Waters (PDF)